Microsoft Germany’s Anne Luck shows the new Windows powered Smart Display from Phillips Consumer Electronics, now available in Europe along with Smart Displays by ViewSonic. Click on the image for a high resolution photo
HANOVER, Germany, March 12, 2003 — Today at CeBIT 2003, Microsoft Corp., in conjunction with partners Philips Consumer Electronics and ViewSonic Corp., announced that Smart Displays are available in five European markets, with products immediately available from retailers including Karstadt in Germany, Fnac and Surcouf in France, and Dixons in the United Kingdom. Smart Displays make it possible for consumers to use their Microsoft® Windows®
XP-based PC anywhere in the home.*
“We have seen a great response from consumers since the U.S. launch at CES in January, and we are excited to see our partners carry this momentum to Europe,”
said Keith White, senior director of marketing for the Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group at Microsoft.
“As a quantum leap in the evolution of the monitor, Smart Displays free consumers from being tied to their PCs, allowing them to still have access to all their favorite applications and services, but from the comfort of any room in the home.”
ViewSonic launched its 10-inch airpanel V110 Smart Display and 15-inch V150 Smart Display, both of which are available from Karstadt and Amazon.de in Germany; Dixons and Amazon.co.uk in the United Kingdom; and Surcouf, Fnac and Amazon.fr in France. Both the airpanel V110 and V150 Smart Displays will come with a USB wireless adapter as well as an upgrade to the Windows XP Professional operating system. Pricing for the ViewSonic airpanel Smart Display will be as follows for the V110 and V150 respectively, including VAT:
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United Kingdom: 869 and 1,099
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France: 1,349 euros and 1,749 euros
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Germany: 1,199 euros and 1,599 euros
“Smart Displays are revolutionary products that fundamentally change the way that people interact with their home PCs,”
said Christopher Franey, senior vice president and managing director for ViewSonic Europe.
“ViewSonic has utilized its longstanding expertise as a leading display manufacturer to deliver the high-quality and innovative airpanel V110 and V150 Smart Display to market.”
Philips’ 15-inch DesXcape 150DM Smart Display goes on sale today, and will be available as a package combining a detachable monitor, base station, wireless networking adaptor and, for a limited time, a wireless keyboard,** — all for 1,699 euros and 999 in the United Kingdom, VAT included. The DesXcape is available from PC World and Dixons in the United Kingdom, Fnac and Surcouf in France, Fnac in Belgium and the Netherlands, and Saturn and Expert in Germany.
“As one of the world’s largest consumer electronics companies, with a record of delivering compelling technologies to the consumer marketplace, we are excited to bring the DesXcape Smart Display to Europe,”
said Antonio Cintra, vice president and general manager of PC Peripherals for Philips Consumer Electronics Europe.
“With its easy-to-use and sleek form factor, the DesXcape lets consumers easily send an e-mail or instant message, view news reports and stock quotes, or pull up a recipe for dinner via the Internet — all from anywhere in the home, regardless of where the host PC is located.”
Smart Displays offer consumers a realm of new possibilities for using their home computer anywhere in the house. With Smart Displays, consumers can surf the Web from their couch, check e-mail while lying in bed, download recipes in the kitchen, or share digital pictures on the patio.
Having recognized the growing trend of consumers who want to enjoy the rich features of Windows XP Professional in more-relaxed settings, Microsoft and its industry partners have developed a variety of 10- and 15-inch wireless monitors. Manufacturers developing Smart Displays or solutions for Smart Displays include AboCom Systems Inc., BenQ Corp., First International Computer Inc., Fujitsu Ltd., Intel Corp., LG Electronics Inc., National Semiconductor Corp., NEC Corp., Philips Consumer Electronics Co., Samsung Electronics, Tatung Co., TriGem Computer Inc., ViewSonic and Wyse Technology Inc.
Further information on Smart Displays is available at http://www.microsoft.com/germany/ms/smartdisplay/ (Germany), and http://www.microsoft.com/france/windows/xp/smartdisplay/ (France).
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
* Normal operating range will cover all of most houses, but range may vary depending on manufacturer hardware, connection speed and environmental conditions.
** Wireless keyboard offer is not available in the United Kingdom.
Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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