Home > Back to Publisher > Report Information

Crossing the PC/CE Divide

DIGDIA
March 1, 2008
85 Pages - SKU: DDA1725679

Abstract Table of Contents Search inside this report Related Reports

Currently available at a discout.
Markets have a lifecycle that eventually reach maturity where growth slows and margins slim. Such is the case for the PC Era where even higher margin notebook computers are dipping well below the $1,000 price point. PCs got a boost at the turn of the century with the earlier introduction of Mosaic and subsequent explosion of the Internet. But, the industry had already sensed that it was time to find new markets for growth.

For many PC industry companies, consumer electronics looked promising. The infection of the consumer electronics industry with digital technology has created many new opportunities, new product categories, and lots of excitement. One only need look at the demise of Comdex and the size of the Consumer Electronics Show. So, a parade of companies started to explore opportunities in CE, some more successfully than others.

This report looks at four such companies - Hewlett Packard, Dell, Microsoft and Intel. A brief history of each company's attempts at CE is provided. Active attempts at CE are analyzed closer. We've also given a letter grade to these attempts and conclude with analysis and recommendations for each company.

Finally, we step back and look at the bigger picture of the PC to CE transition challenge. Specific recommendations are given for any company with roots in the PC industry that has their eyes set on the consumer electronics markets.

1 Introduction
2 Hewlett Packard Company: 2.1 HP’s History in CE; 2.2 How Can HP be Successful in CE?
3 Dell: 3.1 Dell’s History in CE; 3.2 How Can Dell be Successful in CE?
4 Microsoft: 4.1 Microsoft’s History in CE; 4.2 How Can Microsoft be Successful in CE?
5 Intel: 5.1 Intel’s History in CE; 5.2 How Can Intel be Successful in CE?
6 Observations and Recommendations for PC Industry Companies: 6.1 Components Advantage; 6.2 Brand; 6.3 Style; 6.4 Where to start; 6.5 Cable Guy; 6.6 Profit; 6.7 The digital home; 6.8 Services; 6.9 Content
7 Appendix: 7.1 Glossary; 7.2 Organizations
Figures: Figure 1 - Attendance at Comdex and CES over the years; Figure 2 - Consumer Electronics Eras; Figure 3 - HP-01; Figure 4 - HP Photosmart C912 (2000) to R742 (2007) evolution; Figure 5 - HP picture frames; Figure 6 - HP's photo kiosk; Figure 7 - HP de100c; Figure 8 - HP's iPod; Figure 9 - Mobile Media Companion; Figure 10 - Starbucks Hear Music with HP; Figure 11 - Wobulator and HP’s first Rear Projection TV; Figure 12 - Instant Cinema Digital Projector; Figure 13 - HP MediaHub; Figure 14 - HP Digital Entertainment Center; Figure 15 - HP's new compact Media Smart Receiver; Figure 16 - Lightscribe Demo Disc; Figure 17 - Atomic Resolution Storage; Figure 18 - HP Phone shown in 2008 CES; Figure 19 - HP's iPaq 300 Portable Navigation Device using Microsoft firmware; Figure 20 - HP's 2001 CES meeting rooms (no booth); Figure 21 - HP's 2003 CES booth - The home theme; Figure 22 - Co-author Pedersen with Fiorina at 2005 CES Keynote; Figure 23 - HP's 2006 CES booth - TVs come out in force; Figure 24 - A larger HP booth in 2008; Figure 25 - HP's Voodoo section of booth; Figure 26 - HP Media Vault Pro; Figure 27 - Dell/Planar Plasma "True High Definition TV" (2004); Figure 28 - 2003 Digital Jukebox and 2007 Stiletto 2; Figure 29 - Michael Dell sticks with PCs at CES; Figure 30 - Dell at 2006 CES; Figure 31 - Still modest Dell booth at 2008 CES; Figure 32- Mommy, is this bed time reading material?; Figure 33 - Microsoft's Ultimate TV booth at 2001 CES; Figure 34 - 2005 screenshot from Microsoft IPTV; Figure 35 - AutoPC at 2001 CES; Figure 36 - AutoPC at 2005 CES; Figure 37 - Microsoft Sync in a Ford Car; Figure 38 - Special pavilion with several Ford cars and Sync; Figure 39 - Crowd watches Microsoft's phone demo; Figure 40 - 2003 Watch with Microsoft SPOT; Figure 41 - Microsoft Surface; Figure 42 - Microsoft's vision of a living room at 2001 CES; Figure 43 - Microsoft's vision of a home at 2003 CES; Figure 44 - Microsoft 2005 CES - getting back to basics; Figure 45 - Microsoft's now familiar CE booth format next to Intel (2008); Figure 46 - Intel Play Products; Figure 47 - Canmore function blocks; Figure 48 - Intel CE 6250 DVB-T demodulator; Figure 49 - Intel's 2001 CES booth; Figure 50 - Intel's 2005 CES booth; Figure 51 - Intel's 2008 CES booth - not much has changed; Figure 52 - Samsung and Philips showing off Style; Figure 53 - Apple's New York store
Tables: Table 1 - Grading HP's efforts in CE; Table 2 - Grading Dell's efforts in CE; Table 3 - Grading Microsoft's CE efforts; Table 4- Grading Intel's efforts in CE; Table 5 - SVOD Movie Distribution Rights

Crossing the PC/CE Divide

Share this report

Other tasks

Research Assistance

Related Markets

Personal Computers Reports

Free Alert Me service