CMS Peripherals Introduces Complete Solution For Fast and Easy Notebook Hard Drive Upgrades.COSTA MESA Costa Mesa (kŏs`tə mā`sə), city (1990 pop. 96,357), Orange co., S Calif., on the Pacific south of Santa Ana; inc. 1953. It is a transportation, residential, and light industrial center. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 1998-- EasyBundle Combines High-Capacity Notebook Drives, Easy-to-Use Software and Protective Packaging for Safe Transfer of Data, Applications & OS In an aggressive move to bring hard drive upgrading to notebook computer A laptop computer that weighs in a range from five to seven pounds. The term originated when laptops were routinely more than 10 pounds, and those that became lighter were placed in a special "notebook" category. In practice, notebook computer and laptop computer are synonymous. users without requiring technical service center support, CMS (1) See content management system and color management system. (2) (Conversational Monitor System) Software that provides interactive communications for IBM's VM operating system. Peripherals Tuesday announced a new upgrade solution to expand storage capacity. EasyBundle combines CMS' high-capacity notebook hard disk drives with a newly-designed data transfer kit. The new EasyBundle features a notebook hard drive in a custom-designed enclosure with a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, San Jose, CA, www.pcmcia.org) An international standards body and trade association that was founded in 1989 to establish a standard for connecting peripherals to portable computers. PCMCIA created the PC Card. See PC Card. data transfer card and cable, CMS' EasyMove drive image software and an innovative shock and Electro Static Discharge (ESD (1) (Electronic Software Distribution) Distributing new software and upgrades via the network rather than individual installations on each machine. See ESL. ) proof package for which a patent has been applied. "For the first time, a practical and complete solution is available for fast and easy installation of notebook hard drive upgrades," said Gerry Purdy, president of Mobile Insights, one of the computer industry's leading analyst firms. "CMS is solving a problem that hasn't been addressed before -- how to move the contents of your current notebook hard drive to a new drive. EasyBundle is a breakthrough product for the mobile computer user who needs added storage capacity," Purdy added. Offering the industry's most extensive range of notebook hard drive upgrades, CMS' Easy-Plug Easy-Go drives overcome variations among notebook manufacturers by providing custom enclosures for more than 300 notebook models. Physical replacement is a matter of lifting the old drive out and dropping a new one in. In most cases, no tools are required. The data transfer process is similar in concept to CMS' EasyMove, introduced last July. The user simply needs to connect the old drive and the new drive via the included PCMCIA cable kit and run, CMS' EasyMove drive image software. A Graphical User Interface graphical user interface (GUI) Computer display format that allows the user to select commands, call up files, start programs, and do other routine tasks by using a mouse to point to pictorial symbols (icons) or lists of menu choices on the screen as opposed to having to (GUI (Graphical User Interface) A graphics-based user interface that incorporates movable windows, icons and a mouse. The ability to resize application windows and change style and size of fonts are the significant advantages of a GUI vs. a character-based interface. ) screen explains the data transfer process and offers an option to customize drive partition sizes. Formatting, operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. installation and file transfer are executed without user intervention. Drive overlay software is provided for systems with BIOS' that do not support the higher capacity drives. System requirements To be used efficiently, all computer software needs certain hardware components or other software resources to be present on a computer system. These pre-requisites are known as (computer) system requirements and are often used as a guideline as opposed to an absolute rule. are Windows 3.11 or higher or Windows 95. The major innovation of EasyBundle is its use of the shipping package for vibration and ESD protection. The package is designed to remain closed during data transfer and cradles the new drive in an anti-static bag. An anti-static wrist wrap with a grounding alligator alligator, large aquatic reptile of the genus Alligator, in the same order as the crocodile. There are two species—a large type found in the S United States and a small type found in E China. Alligators differ from crocodiles in several ways. clip is included to prevent ESD when physically handling and installing the drive. This allows EasyBundle to comply with stringent European CE requirements. "The EasyBundle solution is an incredibly simple and truly elegant achievement resulting from our talented and experienced engineering design team," said Norman Williams Norman Francis Williams CGM DFM* (3 November 1914 - 30 June 2007) served as an air gunner in RAAF bombers in the Second World War, becoming its most highly decorated non-commissioned officer. , vice president sales and marketing. "Such an achievement could only come from a company which specializes in notebook computer upgrades." The entire upgrade process can take less than 25 minutes, compared to three hours without EasyMove software. The major time savings comes from eliminating original hard drive backup to an external medium and the many steps associated with re-installing an operating system on the new drive. The actual time varies with notebook models and the amount of data being transferred. Upgrade instructions are so easy that they are presented with color diagrams on the shipping box. "Up to now, we have focused our upgrade technology on larger corporations with service centers to do the work, but with EasyBundle we can address medium to small companies, the SOHO Soho (sōhō`, sə–), district of Westminster, London, England, known for its continental restaurants. Once a fashionable quarter, it became popular among writers and artists in the 19th cent. market and individual consumers," Williams said. The most important benefit of EasyBundle is that notebook computers can be upgraded at a savings of thousands of dollars when compared to the alternative of buying a new computer. "Since its introduction in 1990, there has been a rapid increase in user storage demands on the notebook computer and hard disk space has become the pacing factor in notebook obsolescence ob·so·les·cent adj. 1. Being in the process of passing out of use or usefulness; becoming obsolete. 2. Biology Gradually disappearing; imperfectly or only slightly developed. . In fact, 80 percent of the installed base of notebook PCs have less than 1GB hard drives. Notebooks are now embraced as substitutes or replacements for desktop systems, but as users exhaust their available disk space, the machines can no longer be used to their full benefit," Williams said. "EasyBundle allows users to economically upgrade and leverage their investment in their notebook PC," he added. CMS already enjoys a number of product advantages over its upgrade competitors and views the introduction of its EasyBundle solution as an opportunity to expand the market. The most visible barrier to growth of the notebook upgrade business is the perceived difficulty, in the opinion of most industry experts. "EasyBundle eliminates the intimidating aura of notebooks as closed systems," Williams observed. EasyBundle's engineering is highlighted by the certified compatibility of CMS drives, which must meet or exceed all specifications of the original notebook manufacturer. EasyBundle also meets FCC (1) (Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC, www.fcc.gov) The U.S. government agency that regulates interstate and international communications including wire, cable, radio, TV and satellite. The FCC was created under the U.S. Part 15B and European CE compliance requirements Compliance requirements are a series of directives established by United States Federal government agencies that summarize hundreds of Federal laws and regulations applicable to Federal assistance (also known as Federal aid or Federal funds). . EasyBundle end-user pricing starts at $413 for 1.4GB, $467 for 2GB, $613 for 3GB and $999 for 5GB. The only prerequisite for EasyBundle, aside from a Windows operating system, is a Type II PCMCIA adaptor interface which is standard to most notebook computers. Shipments are currently underway to distribution channels. Company Information CMS Peripherals offers a broad line of cost-effective and reliable mass storage solutions for portable computers, workstations and servers. With more than 3 million CMS storage solutions installed in 61 countries, CMS is dedicated to providing users with exactly the right mass storage device for their application. CMS' complete line of mass storage products includes hard disk drives and data transfer products for notebooks, high capacity hard drives and CD towers. CONTACT: Lages & Associates Ally Engler or Paula Bordigon 714/453-8080 ally@lages.com or paula@lages.com |
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