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SCMP Reporter

Compaq has phased out its low-end Contura notebook model in favour of an innovative range of all-Pentium modular machines to be released in Hong Kong this month.

 William Chan, product marketing manager for Compaq Hong Kong, said the Armada series would deliver a sensible, affordable set of functions to first-time notebook computer buyers.

 He said many repeat customers may be attracted to the Armada's mix-and-match approach of key components, but Compaq expected the majority of Armada users to be notebook novices.

 While notebook manufacturers such as IBM, Toshiba and NEC have spoken of modular components within previous notebook releases - mainly with battery pack and hard disk unit upgrades - Compaq has set out to market the Armada in three separate configurations.

 It is similar to the docking station approach to connectivity expansion that has become a regular option for notebook buyers with most major designers.

  Compaq also employs a similar strategy to the Digital HiNote Ultra, which offers a slimline Mobile Multimedia Module for CD-ROM access.

   However, Digital's CD-ROM and speaker expansion unit was only for the high-end HiNote Ultra and was not part of a three-pronged choice of configurations.

  The Armada buyer can start with a plain, vanilla-blend slimline PC, then increase the options to become a standard PC and then migrate to a bulkier multimedia PC. Any of these extra features can be disconnected for weight's sake, should the machine be required on the road.

 'The buyers of the Armada may not be looking for a sophisticated computer,' Mr Chan said. 'They are after an entry-level machine and if in the future, they want to run programs off a CD-ROM, then they can add the mobile CD unit.

  'There is no sense for somebody to pay for something they do not know if they will use.

  'But as they become more interested in the computer, it makes sense for them to expand, not by buying a whole new computer but just by adding to what they already have.'   This is essentially what desktop computer owners have been able to do for years, with the addition of extra cards for modems, sound and video enhancement and output devices.

 The Armada approach is to make sure it is an idiot-proof system upgrade.

 Mr Chan said the units would not, at this stage, be available from third party original equipment manufacturers but rather exist as proprietary Compaq brand add-ons to its own PCs.

  The PCs will be manufactured in Singapore and range in price from $24,000 to $35,000.

  Mr Chan said a slightly different Armada 1120 model would replace the Contura series and be priced at about $16,000. It will be available in Hong Kong this week.

  One special feature of the Armada is the display port, which allows the PC owner to connect a NTSC or PAL format TV for a larger display.

  The touchpad pointing device can also be overridden by a specially designed Compaq high-precision trackball.

  The premium range of LTE 5000 range of Compaq notebooks will remain in the market and has been refreshed with two lower-end models, the LTE 5250 and 5150.

   Mr Chan said the Armadas were targeted at the travelling user and the LTEs more at the business market as replacements for desktops.

ARMADA COMING Mix-and-match approach to key components Machine can be expanded as required Special display port and pointing features 



Compaq Armada laptops aimed at first-time buyers