Compaq Computer, office furniture specialists Bulo Concept and Internet service provider LinkAGE have teamed up to show how computer hardware and office machines can be brought to the home. Visitors to the home office exhibit can see how office-based operations are transferred to the home, and how to adapt from one environment to the other. Models of the new Compaq Presario series on display allow visitors to see how they can communicate, work, play and even shop via a computer. Some machines, for example, are fitted with the Intel Proshare video-conferencing system. They are also connected to the Internet so visitors can have a taste of what the Net has to offer the home user. Launched last month, the Compaq Presario 4000 and 8000 models are specially designed for home use and include a powerful audio system, an 8x speed CD-ROM drive and built-in 3D graphic capabilities. They were designed to be user-friendly and to enable speedy access to the Internet, Compaq said. Philip Leung, vice-president and managing director of Compaq Computer East Asia, said: 'The new series sets a new definition for fun at home. Every single member of the family will find it hard to resist.' With all the new functions available in the home, adults and children alike need an ergonomic and comfortable work top for the increased time they are spending at a desk. Bulo Concept, Belgium's largest office furniture maker, has developed two new lines of desks designed specially for working at home. The H2O desks are discreet but hi-tech. They come in a choice of wooden or laminated finish, five colours and six different sizes. The height of the legs can be adjusted, while wires and cables can be neatly arranged beneath the desk. They also come with a retractable, rotating computer arm and integrated lamp. Vincent Wong, Bulo Concept's sales and marketing manager, said that as people in Hong Kong spent more time at home working on a computer, they should take steps to make sure they were comfortable. He said they tended to spend an amount of money proportionate to the price of their computer, but that they should spend $10,000 to $15,000 for a good work table and chair. 'A comfortable home office enables managers to bring work home and spend more time with their families,' he said.
