Philips is running a pilot programme with Dixons Stores Group across Europe to sell entertainment PCs to consumers. According to Danny Mulligan, PC peripherals product manager, Philips Ireland, the move does not signal an attempt by Philips to challenge PC behemoths such as Dell or HP but rather to manufacture a media centre style PC to support the company’s growing PC and wireless peripherals products portfolio. “We see that a Microsoft Media Centre-style PC product could be at the centre of the living room of the near future.”
The new Freeline PCs which will feature a Microsoft Media Centre OS-powered PC at the high end of the scale, will support integrated wireless networking based on the fast 802.11g standard and will support wireless music players such as the Streamium from Philips. The PCs which will feature Pentium 4 3Ghz-plus processors and large hard drives in excess of 80Gbytes for music, photo and video storage will be available exclusively in Dixons and PC World stores in Ireland.
Managed on a European level, Mulligan is adamant that this pilot will not adversely affect its relationship with Irish manufacturer Iqon which sells PCs in Ireland equipped with Philips peripherals such as LCD screens, DVD drives and mice and which are sold through major retail outlets such as Tesco and Shop Electric.
Contact:
PC World 01 802 5555
07/02/05
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