Unofficial notes from IBM presentation, 17 Sep. 2003
About 26 attendees.
Similar to themes delivered to UVM executives.
Scott M
John Rouse
Todd ____, Educ Specialist for Northeast
Content of the presentation:
IBM: "great strides in the higher education space." Commitment.
Partnership.
Dell = commoditized.
IBM = differentiated solutions.
Over past five years, IBM has fixed the mistakes of the past. Increased
customer experience and buying experience.
Dedicated production and supply chain for education;
-- specific models for education
-- big business can't yank 20,000 laptops away from education channel.
IBM: over 20,000 patents last ten years; not shy on R&D
Rebranding: Think Family of Offerings
- ThinkPad
- ThinkCentre
- ThinkVision displays
- Think services and think accessories
- ThinkVantage design
- Think Vantage technnologies
-- all 6 components except ImageUltra Builder are included with
ThinkPad purchase
Rapid Restore saves thousands per incident.
Access Connections - quickly pick your connection options
Access IBM
- can customize
- can distribute updates
Security -- head and shoulders above the industry
- never been hacked by Canadian RCMP lab
- long discussion ensued
Transparency
- consistent pricing; one price for everyone (?)
- transaction pricing
- revisit pricing monthly
- IDC safety nets -- protects against shortages and price fluctuations
- 27% off industry-wide prices (list or street?)
- IBM pays for a couple of IDC price studies each year
-
Product transitions
- Imaging center in Raleigh (60 engineers)
- workhorse models: 12 months
-
Fullfillment
- IBM has worked a lot on this in past few years
-
www.myorderstatusonline.com [not a real URL]
- 30-day return no-hassle (can arrange with John Rouse so it's after
delivery to student)
- Replacement PC available? Maybe; selling through Computer
Connection (I don't understand this)
Partnership, not a transaction
- partner shools (14):
-- mostly computer requirement
-- Harvard and Maine are student choice programs
Q&A:
SJC: how get computer fixed when not on campus? 165 countries,
on-site. But IBM owners who bought outside UVM can't come to UVM for
sevice (we're working on that).
KDK: Quotes -- what about UVM's web site for UVM? There is a web site
for UVM computer store where can order limited set of models.
NC: Tried IBM quotes in last month for three systems, Dell had better
pricing. JRouse: UVM should have extra special pricing. May be a
miscommunication with outside rep. Start-up problems with the UVM
program.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Products
ThinkCentre
-
http://www.uvm.edu/cit/projects/ibmpc/ibmdocs/ppt-pdf/CTP%20August%2003%20US%20ThinkCentre.pdf
- toolless cases and parts
- A50, A50p -- not recommended for education. A = great technology;
affordable prices
- S50 -- tiny desktop; workhorse; easy to work on it. S =
-- Four form factors
- tower
- desktop
- small desktop
- small form factor
- all use same image
-- Hyper-Threading == two apparent processors
- M50 M =
-- 12-18 months with no changes, workhorses
-- same software as S50
-- common parts with S50
-- three form factors (no small form factor)ThinkPad
-- no 1394 Firewire
-- not good for students due to limited graphics performance (or is
that the S50?)
-- M42 is being discontinued (8 month transition)
- Security chip
- 256 character passphrase or fingerprint
- encrypt selected folders and files, including network drives
-- so you can only open those files from that PC
- some administrator can get past it [how?]
- can buy without it
ThinkPad
-
http://www.uvm.edu/cit/projects/ibmpc/ibmdocs/ppt-pdf/CTP%20August%2003%20US%20Thinkpad.pdf
- many models (in order of decreasing mobility): X, T, R, A, G series
- A series going away soon
- G = desktop-like
- R and T popular for education
- X = small and light
- R50 coming in October, replacing A series.
- mobile workstation
- looks like R40
- T40p -- April 2004
- Centrino vs. Pentium mobile vs. P4
- moving toward use of common parts in all ThinkPads
- Ways IBM Thinkpads are better:
- keyboard feel
- touchpad, point
- antenna
- recessed screen -- keeps grit and oil from keys off screen
- light
- firewire port
- Ethernet, modem, wireless integrated
- 2 latches
IBM demo room for UVM IT personnel; long-term loan so you can use it in
your work
----------------------------------------------------------
Q&A:
AW: Windows and application patches? No one can keep up. IBM will
update images for new systems through Image Technology Center. May be
some options for paying IBM to update old images.
JR: Tablet? We keep getting told yes; haven't seen it yet. Niche
market. Software for character recognition is not there yet.
SJC: What do you have that's really useful in academic applications?
IBM already has better battery life due to Centrino; I don't see
anything further.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Scott: Deeper and further relationship with UVM. Loaners coming.
[see also: Documents in
http://www.uvm.edu/cit/projects/ibmpc/ ]
----------------------------------------------
Roger Lawson wrote:
Scott,
Below is the announcement of the presentation scheduled for next week.
There are about 160 people on this email distribution list. I'm not
sure how many will attend -- probably less than half.
See you next week.
Roger
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 17:09:35 -0400
Reply-To: Technology Discussion at UVM <IT-DISCUSS@LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: Technology Discussion at UVM <IT-DISCUSS@LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Roger Lawson <roger.lawson@uvm.edu>
Subject: IBM Microcomputer Presentation
Comments: To: IT-ANNOUNCE@LIST.UVM.EDU
To: IT-DISCUSS@LIST.UVM.EDU
As announced in an earlier message and in an article in the summer
issue of the UVM IT News
<http://www.uvm.edu/cit/IT-news/?Page=IT-news-2003-7.html>, UVM is
interested in pursuing a stronger relationship with IBM, Vermont's
largest private employer. In view of indications of IBM's improved
service levels and competitive price-performance of their laptops, we
have invited IBM to come to campus to show us how the IBM product
line has advanced in recent years.
On September 17, IBM representatives will be here to discuss the IBM
microcomputer product line and explain the advantages of their
solutions. This presentation, which will be targeted for computer
support people, will be held in Memorial Lounge from 10 AM to noon.
The presentation will cover:
* IBM and Higher Education, PC Strategy and Tools,
* Desktop/Laptop product Roadmap
This will be an opportunity to hear more about the IBM product line
and the benefits of IBM personal computer solutions. There will also
be an opportunity to get answers to your questions and "kick the
tires".
I hope to see you there.
Roger