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AN IBM NOTEBOOK THAT LISTENS TO CUSTOMERSHERE'S THE PROBLEM: Your company has one of the strongest brands in the notebook-PC business, and yet consumers could give a hoot. What to do? If you're IBM (IBM), you spend 18 months on a series of research projects and then incorporate what you've learned into a new line of mobile PCs. What did Big Blue figure out? For one, screen quality is a big disappointment. According to a poll of notebook-PC buyers at retail outlets, 68% regretted not buying a larger, higher-quality screen. Consumers also say they want better sound and easy Internet access. What IBM cooked up is an aggressively priced new notebook PC--$1,499 for the entry-level model--with a top-flight 12.1-in. display. The new ThinkPad i series--the i stands for individual--also has four color-coded keys that can be set for one-button Net access. The computer giant also improved sound quality by housing the speakers next to the monitor instead of the keyboard, which dampens the sound when typing. Although IBM has stumbled in the consumer business, the new mobile PCs are part of a renewed effort in retail. Next from Big Blue: a scanner due out Oct. 26, costing under $140.
EDITED BY IRA SAGER RELATED ITEMS
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Updated Oct. 22, 1998 by bwwebmaster
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