COMDEX: Compaq CEO sees access everywhere
- — 17 November, 1998 21:49
Compaq president and CEO Eckhard Pfeiffer used his keynote speech yesterday at Comdex to unabashedly sell his company's products and services.
Focusing on the role his company will play in the "new world of computing", Pfeiffer noted that the era of information access anywhere at anytime is already a reality and "all around us".
Computing no longer revolves around local area networking but "the planetary scale of the Internet", Pfeiffer said.
For Compaq, this new era brings a wealth of opportunities, and Pfeiffer wants to see his company become the favourite IT partner for all sizes of businesses, from the smallest to the largest global enterprises, as well as the preferred brand in the "networked, digital home".
At the high end of enterprise computing, Pfeiffer reiterated that Compaq will support 64-bit computing on both its own Alpha processor platform, as well as Intel's forthcoming Merced chips.
Aimed squarely at making it easier for homes to connect to the Internet at higher speeds, Pfeiffer also announced the launch of what he billed as the world's first broadband-ready PC.
Released in the US, the Presario 5100c is powered by a 400MHz K6-2 processor from AMD and features a built-in 1.5Mbit/sec G.Lite ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) modem, with pricing starting at $US1599, after a $US100 rebate.
In addition, Pfeiffer also touted Compaq's new "Triple Play" broadband Internet access program, under which US users can choose to sign up for fast Internet access from the company's partners, providing broadband services via cable, DSL or satellite.
