HP SEES ITSELF BREAKING NEW GROUND WITH CDs
By Adnews Staff
U.S.-based Hewlett-Packard has made a pioneering move in the area of systems that allow personal computer users to record data on compact discs. Yesterday the company unveiled its HP SureStore CD-writer 4020i system, which will be on store shelves in Canada next month. This could lead the way to such systems becoming commonplace computer attachments, according to Roger Darbey, information storage marketing manager for HP Canada. Computer users generally use CD-ROM systems now, which only allow PCs to read from discs. While compact discs can hold a lot more data that floppy discs, systems that allow writing to CDs are expensive. Darbey pointed out that prices of CD machines that allow computer users to write on discs cost from $2,000 to $2,500. The 4020i will sell for around $1,500 in Canada, with discs carrying a list price of $23. And if this system follows the trend of computer equipment in general, prices will be lower by next year when HP begins running advertising for its new CD system. HP also says that its new system is more reliable than the few other CD reader/recorder systems now on the market. Darbey said that small to medium size businesses, including firms that do things such as catalogue or multimedia publishing, are potential buyers for the 4020i. HP Canada's ad agency is Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising in Toronto.