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Tuesday, November 19, 1996 Iomega was up $1/2 Monday, closing at $23 (+2.22%). TODAY'S RECAP: Monday saw a whole slew of announcements from Iomega and its competitors, just as one would expect during the first day of the Comdex computer trade show. However, a last-minute cancellation of a news conference by Iomega left many shareholders puzzled and some of them troubled. A recap of Monday's major press releases: >Iomega announced its IomegaReady Software, "a software developer program that will enable software applications to automatically detect the presence of a Zip or Jaz drive." >NEC Computers and Iomega announced that Zip drives will be available in NEC's Versa line of notebook computers by the first quarter of 1997. >DataViz announced that its "Web Buddy" Internet utility software will incorporate IomegaReady Software, "so users can save web content that was retrieved by Web Buddy easily to Iomega Zip(TM) or Jaz(TM) disks." >Folio Corporation announced that its "Web Retriever" will also incorporate IomegaReady Software so that users of this web browser can make efficient use of Zip and Jaz drives. >Iomega's struggling rival SyQuest announced Monday that it "has signed a letter of intent to acquire controlling interest in Nomai, S.A., a major French manufacturer of removable hard drives and cartridges." >Matsushita has announced that it is ramping up its production capacity for LS-120 drives, stating that it is, "now poised to build and ship significant quantities of drives, with volumes to reach 500,000 drives per month by mid-1997." As always, America Online users may access these complete news releases at Keyword: Market News. So far, no details have been forthcoming as to why Iomega cancelled Monday's news conference. And, finally, a clarification: Yesterday we reported that Iomega CEO Kim Edwards had been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young. In fact, Mr. Edwards was named "Turnaround Entrepreneur of the Year," one of many award categories bestowed by that firm. INDEX: Use the Search or Find feature of your word processor to locate the article number (Find: 1++, 3++, etc.) -- or use AOL's Edit>>Find in Top Window Feature. If Find in Top Window is dimmed, just click on some text, anything, in the IOM Today window and try again.
1++MF ETurkey comments on the NEC/Notebook Zip news. And now, the Best of the Board...Started 3 am ET 11/18/96.
1++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Re:NEC notebook NEWS Date: 96-11-18 09:44:14 EST From: MF ETurkey
<<<OK, sports fans, note the Zip-NEC notebook anticipated time frame.
>>>>available by mid-Q1 of 1997.<<<<<<<<<<<<
Each and every month that IO can beat the other laptop super-floppy alternatives to the market is a big plus for IO, IMHO.>>>
Two different things going on here:
One is the laptop Zip (15 mm version); and
The other is the notebook Zip (12-13 mm version).
We knew previously that laptop Zip had been announced for Q1 of 1997, but my recollection was that notebook Zip was for first half 1997, not Q1.
If my recollection is correct, does that mean the notebook version is coming to market faster than previously projected?
Eric 2++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: n.hand and GPS Date: 96-11-18 12:27:45 EST From: Starbux
OK...
I posted a few back that some of my GPS tech support colleagues were less than thrilled with the idea of n.hand and GPS applications. Discussing further today, the basics are:
- GPS is primarily raw numerical data. Storage is not a significant or compelling problem. - PC Cards are used when necessary (in *automatic* mode, reams of data of collected for later use). However, 2MB is more than sufficient for most applications. - The data is read into GIS software (typically a variant of AutoCad) for analysis.
They saw more probability of n.hand for storage of graphical files (the GIS software) moreso than the collection of the raw data itself. Further, the mass volume of consumer GPS has even less need for storage than the more sophisticated systems.
The use of n.hand for stereophotography was mentioned. However, stereophotography is not a mainstream, high volume industry.
There were also some questions about tooling costs as the systems that might even remotely consider n.hand are not high volume sales; thus does it pay to amortize the tooling costs by changing from PC Cards to N.hand over such a small number? In a word, no.
This is what I found out. Anybody else?
Star 3++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Re: Zip Drive in USA Today Date: 96-11-18 13:37:23 EST From: Gar Shon
Today's USA TODAY featured a "Holiday Tech Buying Guide" section. In a section to upgrade your PC there were various headings such as "Processor", "Modem", etc. as well as "Zip Drive". When on to give a small synopsis of removable media and mentioned Jaz and EZ Flyer as well. Also in the same section under the title "Helpline" (a question and answer segment) the second question asked was "What offers the best storage: a Zip drive, tape cartridge or recordable Cd?". The answer was favorable as well. In both instances the term Zip Drive has become a term to describe a standard or group of products.
Gary 4++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Comdex-another view Date: 96-11-18 14:24:50 EST From: MF DTurkey
With all of us eagerly awaiting news from Vegas, here's a rather different view than we're all expecting.
This is from today's New York Times, written by John C. Dvorak, a columnist for PC Magazine & PC/Computing.
<<< Companies have to be there to prove they're making a profit and to show of their latest technology which doesn't work, but which will someday -- they hope. Everything is either going through an alpha or beta testing phase or is just out of alpha or beta. (A dart and a dart board are used to determine this.)
All products will "change the way people use (product category here)." A new computer will change the way people use computers. A new modem will change the way people use modems. Why? Just because. Everything is the best thing to happen to (product category here). Some things are so special that they will cause the mysterious paradigm shift. It will change the entire direction of civilization. Yes, indeed. In the end the product never ships and civilization is saved once more. >>>
For the rest of the very funny article, go to Keyword: New York Times, then today's news, then Business, the "The Ever-Shifting Paradigm of Trade Shows"
Dan 5++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Comdex Live Date: 96-11-18 14:55:28 EST From: Demo16
IOM booth extremely busy....lots of yellow bags/badges everywhere. Posting now from AOL booth. Nothing added since NEC announcement this morning. Iomega PR rep told me earlier that she was not aware of pending 11:00 announcement...she thought she would have known if one was planned.
The day is still very early. I am very impressed with organization of IOM booth, amount of personnel involved....and most importantly the interest shown by show attendees.
Here for today only...will try to post if anything substantial develops.
Regards
BlckMarlin 6++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Re:n-hand Date: 96-11-18 15:49:04 EST From: Arentz65
<<The new 10MB storage cards will be priced at $299 and can be purchased by calling Compaq authorized resellers. The cards present almost no power drain to the Compaq computer because they are automatically powered down when the computer is not writing or reading to the cards.>>
These two sentences highlight The major advantage and possible disadvantage of the n-hand.
At $300 for 10Mb. flash memory looks to be at a huge disadvantage to N-hand media at $10 for 20mb. Depending on how much the drive interface costs to incorporate into handheld devices, this cost difference could be unsurmountable for flash memory makers.
The major disadvantage to the n-hand that i could see halting its use would be high power consumption. All the handheld devices we have talked about have low power consumption in common. The n-hand could use too much power to be practical. This would be(along with cost of drive mechanism) be the main problems and i am assuming io has come up with some innovative solutions(otherwise they would not be pushing the n-hand).
ea 7++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Comdex Importance Date: 96-11-18 17:24:25 EST From: CayugaDan
I just want to note that one of the most important parts of Comdex is the Comdex we will never see. Closed door parties and deals. Comdex is one of the few times a year where industry heavyweights gather. The top folks are meeting and it is not uncommon for big deals to be sealed there. No talking on the phone, no faxes, no email. Real people, real eyes, real body language.
Dan Rapaport (a real person with real eyes) 8++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: n.hand camera Date: 96-11-18 19:52:23 EST From: MBailey875
<< I don't see a reason for the disk to actually be spinning except at those moments when data is being transferred. Now, for a digital camera this might be a problem because you don't want to stop to power up the drive every time you snap a picture, but for PDAs, cellphones, or whatever, I would think that power needs would be more sporadic.>>
I think "one of the new" n.hand camera should have a led crystal display on the backside of the camera. The display would allow the person taking the photos a chance to see what the picture looks like instantly. After reviewing the photo, the photographer would then be allowed to delete the picture or save it to the n.hand disk. This would allow the photographer to be able to take pictures instantly without waiting for the disk drive to gear up to speed. The digital camera would have enough "instant" memory for one picture to be seen prior to deleting or saving to the n.hand. Then the disk drive on the camera would only need to be spinning while saving the photo to the n.hand disk.
I am excited about these possible new camera's. The n.hand disks would act as rolls of film and negatives combined as one. I believe the once the pictures have been taken and stored to the disks. The person could then take the disk to the photomat and have the pictures produced to 4 by 6 prints, take the disk home and save it to the computer, zip disks or jaz disks. There are so many ramifications to this process. The n.hand disk could be used over and over again if desired. The reusing of the n.hand disk would allow savings for new film. This is the only thing that I wonder about. I'm sure film companies would not want reduced film sales. I bet they have a good profit margin on these items.
Time to go for now, Comments welcome!
BaileyBoo 9++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Re:LS-120 Ramping Up Date: 96-11-18 21:33:53 EST From: Arentz65
<<Matsushita-Kotobuki Electronics Industries, Ltd. (MKE), a co-developer of LS-120 diskette technology, today announced that its manufacturing facilities have reached high-volume automated production capacity for LS-120 drives -- enabling shipments of hundreds of thousands drives per month.>>
Now this is total HYPE. Notice how they say capacity? They are selling a fraction of that capacity at best. Also the only quotes in the article come from one of the three players, No outside opinion on this drive. Sounds like they could not find anyone to endorse their drive.
Ea 10++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: More Institutional Coverage? Date: 96-11-18 23:34:25 EST From: Paul894928
<<JeffTF1 says:
<<I would still like to know why a company with sales and earnings growth of well over 100% per annum, with the hottest product to hit the consumer market in over a decade has so little institutional coverage. It just doesn't make any sense at all. I could list hundreds of companies that are much smaller with LOTS more coverage. Can we contact IR about this?>>
There are still a few analysts who value their esteem and feel accountable to large clients. I know at least one that gets a little touchy about balance sheets and statements of cash flow as they relate to fast-growth-one-product-consumer-fad companies. Some analysts dont see the virtue in watching a "buy" rating on a stock that was just recently $54 mutate into a "buying-opportunity" when the stock flat-lines 140% weaker in the low $20s.
I happen to know a couple of investment banks who have no problem placing 11.25 million shares of stock in a secondary offering with "special preferred" institutional clients at $35 (June 4, 1996), only to see it fall like a rock in the ensuing days.
I also have learned about three or four equity research firms who think that an impressionable and loyal fan-club can boost their own investments at least some of the time (two of the firms offer their reports gratis).
Perhaps institutional analysts have learned the secret: Our contribution the dissemination of information is superior to that of the Street. Perhaps they feel that a companies who issue zillions of press releases about surprising developments and strategic alliances have enough exposure. 11++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Comdex Date: 96-11-19 01:06:38 EST From: Cynicalguy
Hello Fools. Vegas is sure amazing. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, I was not able to set foot on the floor today. I expect to be there bright and early tomorrow and will report from the floor.
It was very exciting to see Iomega except the MVP award from PC Computing for the Jaz Drive. USRX and MSFT took the 2 other big MVP trophies. When the Iomega Jaz man took the stage to get his award-well-let's just say they never stop the marketing machine. He mentioned how they have changed the removable storage industry, mentioned how they won last year with Zip, this year with Jaz, and hope to win with n-hand next year. It was fun to see.
Iomega is all over the city. The shuttle busses to and from the hotels are all wearing huge Iomega advertisements. There is even Iomega stuff in the rooms at the Mirage. I can't wait until I get to the show tomorrow.
In the show trade edition of ComputerWorld there is an article about high-capacity floppies. Highlights:
<<About 5.1 million high-capacity floppy drives with an end user market value of 825 million will be sold this year, nearly all of them Zip drives, says Bob Katzive, VP at Disk-Trend, Inc. in Mountainview CA. " That reflects the ramp-up time on the LS-120 and the fact that the Zip already is pretty well ramped up", Katzive says. "Also, most people don't have that much choice. When they go out to buy a high-capacity floppy, they can't find the LS-120 easily">>
<<The Zip has a time to market lead over the LS-120 and a mind share lead, and both are very important. Katzive adds, "If you are buying the Zip as a backup for a computer that already has a 1.44 Mbyte floppy, you probably don't care if it's backward compatible">>
<<"Although LS-120 has 20% more storage capacity than the Zip, that also doesn't seem to have made much of an impression on perspective customers. The difference between 100 Mbyte and 120 Mbyte is small compared to the difference between 1.44 Mbyte and 100 Mbyte, Katzive says.>>
Bill Bronsteen Cynicalguy
ps-NEC is big news-why isn't there more discussion of this? 12++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Re:Comdex Date: 96-11-19 01:30:14 EST From: Waverunner
>>ps-NEC is big news-why isn't there more discussion of this?<<
Bill, probably because we already "knew" about this from Niekei(sp) article from ages ago. So now it doesn't surprise anyone. Of course, those that thought it was hype on our part don't want to admit nothing was lost in the translation. Hope you get Tim Hill to buy you a drink or two, Bill. He can afford it :-)..
Somebody sent me an article on the Sony StorStation ads from "The Record".
"Anyone who has had a computer crash knows the experience can be devastating and is prone to describe it in terms of mortal destruction."
"Sony, the Japanese electronics giant whose US headquarters are in Park Ridge, knows this, and has been capitalizing on it by running full-page newspaper ads in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today that closely imitate The New York Times obituaries page."
"The tongue-in-cheek ads started this week to help launch a $200 tape backup system called StorStation. The ads have both shock value and the sort of humor Sony hopes will create a buzz in the small business and home computing community that will jolt sales for this relatively humdrum product."
"It's hard to make sexy. It is not Nike," Sony's director of advertising, John Roberts, said of the external backup system that Sony and Iomega have developed" "Sony is responsible for the tape cartridge and Iomega makes the hardware." "The ad will run through the winter in national newspapers, as well as computer magazines."
"Sony officials said that during the first weeks of its introduction, which began Nov.1, the tape backup systems will be sold exclusively at CompUSA. A check of area CompUSAs revealed that six of the original nine allotted to the store have been sold at the Paramus, New Jersey location and all but one have been sold in the Manhattan store. The national ads demonstrate Sony's commitment to the product, said Blake Olson, senior vice president at Hill Holliday."
And here I thought only Fools made channel checks :-)
Dave I know most people don't consider Ditto important, but to me this Sony product is pure gravy, and who knows, maybe Sony will sell a few throughout the world. 13++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: LS-120 Ramping Up??? Date: 96-11-19 01:41:35 EST From: Ken1Marcus
Why would they be ramping the LS120? Why announce massive production possibilities before the first nibble of demand? Just he opposite of the zip, which for a long time could not keep up with demand.
My take: 1. Matsushita Elec. Indus.: Is the MEI conglomerate going to encourage one of its subsidiaries, MKE, to waste their resources trying to change the mind of the consumer and fighting against another of its subsidiaries, MCI? Not likely.
2. OEMs: Are OEMs going to madden their customers and confuse their tech support people by switching from zip in mid stream? Would you dump your Toyota just so you could buy the car of the future, the Pacer? Not likely. How do you sell a drive that practically no one owns and is 40% the speed of the present zip? Path dependance.
3. Backward compatibility: I think the right term should be "reduced bay usage", because that's all it is. Will zip equipped computers be backward compatible? Of course they will, it will just be in two slots, which is more convenient anyway.
So when does backward compatibility matter? Well, it only matters in laptops and notebooks. And, with the removable bay technology, it only matters to those consumers who don't want to swap out the notebook zip drive for the notebook floppy. Of course they could always connect to a PC and use its old style floppy.
4. External LS120 floptical: How do you sell an external LS-120???? Slow ( repeat 40% as fast a few times), inherently expensive, and redundant with its floppy backwardness. You don't, it's that simple.
5. Will the early adopters of zip, who generally influence subsequent buyers, recommend some other slower, more expensive, practically unheard of drive to their friends? Not if they want to be able to exchange disks with them.
6. The Albatross: Will other OEMs put money into the hands of Compaq, their competitor? Compaq has *never* said that they would not receive some form of royalty from LS120 sales.
Conclusion, the LS120 is DOA.
Ken 14++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subj: Re:Big announcement Monday Date: 96-11-19 02:56:48 EST From: MF Logman
<<NEC is not big news? The first laptop maker to OEM ANY of the Super floppies is not big news? How many does the UHC have, or the LS? Could you tell us why the NEC news is not important?>>
Looking way back at my notes from the *Q2* conference call, I see this paraphrased comment from Mr. Edwards:
"Toshiba and NEC are very interested in the laptop Zip."
And now NEC has announced that they will offer the Zip in their notebooks.
Not saying that today's announcement wasn't important. But it wasn't unexpected either.
Logman
End Report. Posts covered through 3 am ET 11/19/96. _______________________________
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