CHARLIE@UMVMA.BITNET (Charlie Turner) (05/16/91)
Here are some quotes and paraphrases from a Michael Zimmerman story in PC-Week (p.12, V8n19 13 May91). Image Communications is supposed to announce at the spring Comdex a new V.32/V.42bis modem called the TwinCom 96/42. The internal version to be released next month will list for $299. An external model is planned for a fall release at $340. Image also manufactures a $169 internal "data/fax" board, of which approximately 16,000 have shipped since its release last fall. "Stressing production rather than engineering and extensive technical support, Image employs 20 people and a surface-mount-chip robot that does the work of approximately 40 employees, said Flohr." (chairman of Image Communications). "Image uses for its V.32 modem Rockwell International Corp's RC9696AC chip set which lists for approximately $160. Rockwell supplies chip sets to about 75 percent of the market." "'Our margins will be a little lean at the beginning, and the chip manufacturers will be upset, but their quantity will go up dramatically and all of a sudden the chip prices will come down,' said Flohr." Note: I have no affiliation or interest in Image or any other modem manufacturer. Since there has been a lot of discussion about V.32 and about cheap 9600 speed modems, I thought this was topical.