Computer Trade Shopper articles from May 2005

Computer Trade Shopper archives from May 2005

A clear vision for British business.(editorial)
May 11, 2005... Waking up to the prospect of another four years of Tony Blair last week I was not sure whether to laugh or cry. Then again, what was the alternative? But it will be interesting to see how Labour's third term in office will affect business...

Small firms seek big functionality.(system builder news)
May 11, 2005... Technology analyst firm IDC has said there is a good opportunity for small resellers to build strong services offerings as small business IT infrastructures become more complex and server-driven. The analyst claimed there were 18 million...

Maxtor works towards turnaround.
May 11, 2005... Maxtor has released financial results for the first quarter ended 2 April, reporting revenues of $1.07bn, up from $1.02bn in the same period a year earlier. The company posted losses of $24.2m, compared with profits of 9.2m [pounds sterling]...

E-Net warns of counterfeit product.
May 11, 2005... E-Net Distribution has uncovered a counterfeit racket which it believes could cost the industry tens of millions of pounds every year. The Edinburgh-based company, which has exclusive rights to sell data storage from vendors Datasafe,...

IBM plans European restructure.
May 11, 2005... IBM has announced plans to restructure its European operations, with potentially 2,500 jobs to go from the UK business. As a result, IBM estimates that it will record a pre-tax charge of between $1.3bn and $1.7bn in the second quarter, at which...

Server boards launched by Gigabyte.
May 11, 2005... Gigabyte has introduced two new server boards, the GA-91VDT and GA-91VDTH. By using Inters E7320 chipset, the boards can support the chip vendor's newest Xeon processor running at 800MHz. Built upon the 90nm wafer lab process, this...

HP extends TopConfig to notebooks.
May 11, 2005... Hewlett-Packard has rolled 50 per cent of its notebook range into the TopConfig supply chain mechanism, which allows users to configure a mobile product for a more aggressive price. As part of the programme, HP does not bold inventory in the...

SME change from Microsoft.(reseller news)
May 11, 2005... Microsoft is shaking up its SME strategy with changes to its pricing model and an initiative to direct customers on where to buy products. The Small Business Partner Initiative will kick off in July and will involve resellers being set...

Basilica dips into war chest.(reseller news)
May 11, 2005... In the week that Basilica acquired IT Partnerships (ITP), the managing director of the Hertfordshire-based reseller said he had a war chest which has been barely dented and would be used to fund further acquisitions. ITP employed 38 staff...

Resellers proactive in promoting HCI for teleworkers.(reseller news)
May 11, 2005... Resellers targeting the growing teleworking market could find the Home Computing Initiative (HCI) scheme works as a platform to meet employer demands to provide technology which staff can use at home. Despite the lack of official connection...

Genuine AMD boxed processors ensure high customer satisfaction.(ADVERTORIAL)(Advertisement)
May 11, 2005... Only genuine AMD boxed processors (Processor-In-a-Box) can offer you the performance, power and reliability that you expect from AMD processors with a high-performance AMD Processor, an AMD qualified heatsink/fan and a three-year limited...

Microsoft[R] Windows[R] XP Professional and Microsoft[R] Windows[R] XP Home.(ADVERTORIAL)(Advertisement)
May 11, 2005... The most reliable and secure edition of Windows ever, Microsoft[R] Windows[R] XP Professional Edition (VIP Order Code: 2348) provides a faster, better computing experience in the office and beyond. Its improved networking capabilities, instant...

Wireless becomes the No 1 extra.(EXCLUSIVE)
May 11, 2005... One friend recently signed up to get broadband at home and came into work full of the joys that the promise of getting the latest technology can deliver. But far from boasting about download speeds and his monthly charges what had excited...

Security sewn up with three hourly updates.
May 11, 2005... If you managed to get down to the Information Security show in London the other week you might have been surprised to see that along with a lot of emerging threats that grab headlines there is still a lot of mileage in bread and butter security...

Bringing a light touch to the keys.
May 11, 2005... It has taken a while but finally the keyboard world has discovered light, colour and the sort of cheeky design touches that have exploded onto the chassis scene over the last year. Gamers want to have fun and far from sitting up in a room...

Chassis leads the way in media center design.
May 11, 2005... Read any article about the future of the digital living room and the summary you inevitably reach is that the route in for the PC is with the Media Center with the experience that offers the user. Fighting off the challenge from television with...

Remote access fixes PCs fast.
May 11, 2005... One of the biggest worries that the IT manager has is that the costs of owning desktops is unknown and possibly higher than expected. The answer is more simple than might be imagined and does not involve going to each PC in turn and fixing...

MFD crams in features for low budget offices.
May 11, 2005... Sometimes a product comes along that seems to offer so much for such a small outlay that it kind of clouds your judgment over as to whether or not it is really likely to live up to its promises. The rise of the multifunction device (MFDs)...

Time for upsurge in surge control.
May 11, 2005... With the threat of summer storms coming up, the need to protect power systems is acute and should not be left to chance. The focus is always on blackouts, but the damage of a lightning strike with the corresponding power surge can be...

One step beyond data storage: The ASUS SDRW-0804P-D offers a whole new data copying experience.(Advertisement)
May 11, 2005... Since the beginning of data storage technology, the quality as well as appearance of end products have dramatically improved. While improvements in quality are no longer news and good performance is being taken for granted, modern tech users...

What road next for tape?(round up)
May 11, 2005... One of the most regular predictions in the storage world is the eventual demise of tape to be replaced either by disc or some yet to be invented media that condemns the established technology to the dustbin of history. At last month's...

Lightweight laptop packs a power punch.(SHORTS)
May 11, 2005... Evesham Technology has taken the wraps off its latest laptop, the Quest Explorer, featuring the AMD Turion 64 Mobile processor, which is designed to work with the latest thin and light notebook designs. With wireless LAN as standard, this...

Mobile DVD player also recognises MPEG4.(SHORTS)
May 11, 2005... Talking of users that want mobility, the Waitec Vision PX7 is a portable DVD player with a 7in active-matrix TFT screen with 16:9 aspect ratio which does not recognise just the DVD standard but can cope with the MPEG4 format as well making it...

Sony appoints Midwich for a kick start.(SHORTS)
May 11, 2005... Sony has decided to restructure its distribution channel and has appointed Midwich to be its focused distributor creating demand in the SME, corporate and education markets stocking the full range of commercial and consumer models. "Looking...

In control from the comfort of the living room.(SHORTS)
May 11, 2005... While we are still on the subject of Sony, the vendor has unveiled the VAIO VGC-RA304, a home server that communicates with the television and stereo via a network media receiver, which lets users access AV content from the comfort of the...

Countdown to WEEE: despite the delay, the European recycling directive is coming and there will be penalties for missing deadlines--although other EU countries hove a more leisurely approach.(opinion)
May 11, 2005... Truism: the world is divided into ostriches (head in sand folk) and opportunists (turn any cost into a revenue stream). Powwow, my water cooler supplier, is the latter. It has just written to me to tell me that: "In August 2004, the new...

A fair player--on the field and off: Martin Ebbage, sales director at Oki (UK), may be a bit obsessed with football but it does provide him with some practical business maxims.(talking shop)(Interview)
May 11, 2005... WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE COMPANY? I am in charge of SO sales staff and responsible for managing a 53m [pounds sterling] turnover. My role involves the development of sales strategies and reseller programmes. DO YOU...

The future for system builders: renewals have got the IT market off to a good start in 2005 but this will slow and the outlook is uncertain. Chris Ingle looks at where to focus next for business.(market overview)
May 11, 2005... The UK IT market, worth 36bn [pounds sterling] in 2004, will grow by 30 per cent to 47bn [pounds sterling] in 2009. What are the opportunities in this growing market and how can you focus on them? While customers restricted spending and...

Motherboards: misunderstood and undervalued: an integral component in any PC system, motherboards are taking centre stage alongside CPUs. Mike Evans, marketing manager at Foxconn, outlines its product strategy.(product roadmap)
May 11, 2005... PC components in general are not particularly sexy: they are not the finished item, they are always the areas where the price fluctuates first and fastest, and they are always the things that can cost your business the most. But the speed and...

Two heads better than one? Using multiple screens has a significant price advantage over buying one large screen, so why isn't this option more popular?(monitoring trends)
May 11, 2005... The fundamental purpose of a computer monitor is to communicate information into people's brains using the human visual system. Meko's managing director has a law (like Moore's law only it's called Bob's law) stating that "everything that...

Manufacturers.(Directory)
May 11, 2005... t: 0870 1280 880 e: sales@a-mw.co.uk w: www.a-mw-co.uk HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS PHONE WEB 1st Computer Traders Ltd 01827 55555 www.1ct.com Acer (UK) Ltd 01753...

Distributors.(Directory)
May 11, 2005... PHONE FAX a 1st Computer Traders Ltd 01827 55555 01827 66666 A One Distribution 0161 7633633 0161 7633644 Access Keyboards Ltd ...

Touch of reality in playboy land.(editorial)
May 25, 2005... The messages at Gartner's recent system builder summit were in stark contrast to the surroundings in which they were delivered. Let's face it, Monaco is the stomping ground for Europe's playboy elite--and there can't be too many of those left...

Distributors face domination struggle.(news)
May 25, 2005... AMD distributors will be fighting for dominance in the UK when Ingram Micro joins the fold in the third quarter and system builders could reap the benefits of increased competition through sharper pricing. As exclusively predicted by this...

UK PC market sees growth.(news)
May 25, 2005... As Easter fell in March this year, PC manufacturers priced products aggressively to create demand in the retail space which helped drive the entire market during the first quarter and counter the weak business sectors. According to analyst...

Systemax inventory errors send shares plummeting.(news)
May 25, 2005... The share price of Systemax Inc has plummeted by more than 20 per cent after the system builder admitted it would restate results for 2004 having discovered inventory accounting errors at the company's Tiger Direct US reseller arm. Earlier...

Police dedicate fresh unit to tackle IT crime.(news)
May 25, 2005... The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) will launch a unit to become the fifth flying squad, dedicated to tackling organised criminals involved in the theft of computer chips and memory while in transit. In response to the growth in the crime...

HP boosts PC market with Mentor.(news)
May 25, 2005... Hewlett-Packard kicks off a programme this week which financially motivates logistics service providers (LSPs) to manage small resellers that are not strategic accounts with the aim of generating growth in the PC market. Under the Mentor...

Microsoft points out flaws in Becta study.(news)
May 25, 2005... Schools should take care making judgements based on the latest Becta report on open source software (OSS) in schools, Microsoft has warned. Becta's rubber-stamp of OSS came last week when its study, which looked at ways to improve the use...

One step beyond data storage: the ASUS SDRW-0804P-D offers a whole new data copying experience.(Advertisement)
May 25, 2005... Since the beginning of data storage technology, the quality as well as appearance of end products have dramatically improved. While improvements in quality are no longer news and good performance is being taken for granted, modern tech users...

Top card is backed up by a top game.(cts EXCLUSIVE)
May 25, 2005... When it comes to promoting a bundled game with a graphics card there are broadly two options--brand it prominently or use a small box shot and downplay its presence. It all depends on what sort of game title is included--with a triple A...

Epson continues to fill key printer niches.
May 25, 2005... The printer market is certainly an interesting place at the moment. With all of the key manufacturers now virtually abandoning all pretence that it's the hardware rather than the ink and supplies they make their money from and a far more savvy...

Portable drive is a fast mover.
May 25, 2005... Ever since storage manufacturers hit upon the holy grail of Flash, USB and portability, the market for devices such as the carefully updated line of Fujitsu's highly desirable HandyDrives has gone into the stratosphere. From portable pen drives...

Setting the benchmark for quality scanning.
May 25, 2005... Over the last few years there has been a revolution as technology moves from the office into the home. Driven by digital applications, what was once not even imagined as a consumer/SME product has now become a serious bit of kit for any market....

Making a case you can't refuse.
May 25, 2005... A Soprano hits the high notes and bumps off the losers (at least in the TV series), so it is an apt name for a case that stands out from the crowd and will light up any LAN party. Thanks to LAN parties, the look and feel of a case has...

Check Point's way to integrated suites.
May 25, 2005... If you were to play a word association game with someone that knew their technology Ps and Qs and said Check Point what sort of answer would you get? The answer is likely to include the obvious word security, but also enterprise and...

Words to digital in an easy scan.
May 25, 2005... On an earlier page, a scanner was reviewed with several comments made about the varied uses that scanned documents can have, and it makes sense to take that one step further and go out to buy specialist software if you want to get the most out...

Made secure in a flash.(round up)
May 25, 2005... One of the growing areas in the low end storage arena in the system builder market is the increasing use of USB flash drives to store ever larger amounts of data. Increasing capacity coupled with more embedded capabilities have taken the...

Sony adds illumination to CCD camera range.(SHORTS)
May 25, 2005... Those customers keen to catch criminals on tape whatever the circumstances will be pleased to hear that Sony Europe is offering its SSC-DC80P series of high resolution, colour video cameras to operate in a minimum illumination of 0 for...

Projector copes with rigours of pub life.(SHORTS)
May 25, 2005... Those people who watch football in a pub and wonder whether the projector is damaged by all the smoke need not fear if it is an NEC LT180, after the manufacturer announced a new Smoke Guarantee for pubs, bars and clubs protects owners and...

Maxdata goes for a wider notebook picture.(SHORTS)
May 25, 2005... Somebody at the Maxdata labs must have been frustrated at not being able to watch their favourite movies in the best light on their mobile has been put right after the vendor took the wraps off its first wide-screen notebook, based on Intel...

Colourful choice with lighted combo drives.(SHORTS)
May 25, 2005... Western Digital is busy showing off its redesigned, next-generation WD Extreme Lighted Combo drives with 320GB capacity performance from the WD Caviar SE drive inside is combined with USB and FireWire connectivity The product is being targeted...

Companies house--not fraudsters house: in a letter to UK plc, Johnny Norris provides an insider's view of the latest ID theft scam from the comfort of his deckchair.(opinion)
May 25, 2005... To whom it may concern, Sitting here by the pool in Puerto Cruz. 'Retired' at 24, living the life of Reilly. No commuting, no boss, no early starts. Just a few phone calls and e-mails to the boys back in England to give them their...

Keeping it plain and simple: James White, international marketing director at Allied Telesyn, believes in plain speaking, having a clear vision and looking after the infrastructure.(talking shop)(Interview)
May 25, 2005... WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE COMPANY? Complete responsibility for Allied Telesyn's branding, marketing and corporate communications in Europe. DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS MAXIM? Vision without execution is hallucination....

The PCI-Express revolution--is it just passing us by? Although PCI-Express take up has been slow, anyone who grasps the difference between megabits and megabytes knows its potential is enormous.
May 25, 2005... Whenever you get a transition like this--as with ISA to PCI--people who don't quite get where the market's going say: "This isn't quicker than the last thing I had." What they don't take into account is that the old technology had reached its...

PC monitors: the survival of the flattest: the rise of the flat screen is leading to the demise of the CRT. Dave Stevinson, European managing director of monitor manufacturer PGE Corporation, outlines its product plans.(product roadmap)
May 25, 2005... Few people want a CRT on their desk as they are bulky, old-fashioned and very heavy. Few companies want to use CRT as they consume huge amounts of electricity and spew out lots of emissions. But although LCD purchases in the first quarter of...

The tender spot.(tender invitations)
May 25, 2005... STAR TENDER 83269 UK-London: School information software Web-based pupil information management software.. 79719, TENDER INVITATION UK-Nottingham: personal computers To supply personal computers to a college. 79720, TENDER...

Manufacturers.(Directory)
May 25, 2005... manufacturers PHONE a 1st Computer Traders Ltd 01827 55555 Acer (UK) Ltd 01753 699200 ACME Technology Ltd 020 89633300 Actebis...

Distributors.(Directory)
May 25, 2005... distributors PHONE FAX a 1st Computer Traders Ltd 01827 55555 01827 66666 A One Distribution 0161 7633633 0161 7633644 Access Keyboards Ltd ...