jclee@cory.Berkeley.EDU (James C. Lee) (04/05/91)
Here's NeXT's NeXTedge announcemnt: REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 4, 1991 Q NeXT Computer, Inc. today announced NeXTedge, a program that encompasses all NeXT's hardware service, software support and customer education. NeXT also announced that it has signed an agreement with the Field Service Division of Motorola Inc.'s Computer Group under which Motorola will be NeXT's preferred service provider in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, with primary responsibility for providing hardware service to NeXT's direct customers. NeXTedge will enable customers to obtain support and service from wherever they purchase their NeXT equipment: directly from NeXT or through a value-added reseller (VAR), dealer or other distribution channel. NeXTedge provides a one-year warranty service that is bundled with all NeXT equipment, as well as a menu of additional service options, support products and education courses. "The trend in the computer industry is for vendors to take greater responsibility for post-sales service and support through all channels," said Paul Vais, director of NeXTedge at NeXT. "We decided to take responsibility one step further, to offer our customers service, support and training that is as innovative and high-quality as NeXT com- puters themselves. With this goal in mind, we created NeX- Tedge." Motorola Agreement In March, and as part of the NeXTedge program, NeXT expanded its existing partnership with Motorola to include service of NeXT computers. The two companies have a long, established relationship: NeXT shipped the first computer to be powered by Motorola's 68040 microprocessor, and all NeXT computers also incorporate Motorola's 56001 Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chip. Under the auspices of NeXTedge, Motorola's nation- wide network of field engineers will provide hardware ser- vice for NeXT customers. Motorola has approximately 450 field engineers at 150 U.S. and 6 Canadian locations, who have been trained in hardware and UNIX systems since 1981. "Motorola has a very successful history servicing UNIX systems," said Carol Dickson, vice president marketing and sales for Motorola's Field Service Division, headquar- tered in Dallas. "We are very pleased to be adding NeXT to our program." NeXT Computer, Inc. designs, manufactures and mark- ets professional workstations, which combine the power and networking of today's most advanced workstations with the ease of use and productivity applications of today's best personal computers. NeXT's professional workstation systems promise to enhance the way groups of people work together in the 1990s. NeXT is headquartered at 900 Chesapeake Drive, Redwood City, California, 94063.