Server spending up after two years
THE Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan)—henceforth referred to as APEJ—server market reached 737,628 units worth US$6.2 billion in 2003 compared with 602,898 units for a total value of US$5.9 billion in 2002, according to IDC’s Enterprise Server Tracker, Q4 2003. Server spending increased in APEJ in 2003 on an annual basis for the first time since the dotcom meltdown in 2001, while unit shipments increased a healthy 22 percent after two years of low single-digit increases in unit shipments.

PCs sales healthy as notebooks gain popularity
The Indian PC market grew by 34.6 percent, more than 760,000 units shipped in the second quarter of 2004, according to Gartner, Inc. This includes desktops, notebooks and servers. India garnered 9.23 percent of overall Asia Pacific regional sales.

Zenith launches seven notebooks
Zenith Computers announced the launch of its range of seven notebooks. Termed as the ‘power of seven’, the machines cater to the entire corporate hierarchy—from the sales executive to the CEO.

Net-iTech to tap SME market
Net-iTech Asia Pacific has launched Nitix, a Linux-based operating system for small and medium enterprises in Asia-Pacific. It is to be positioned as a complete business server solution for organisations with 5 to 500 users.

High performance boost for CSIR arm
Silicon Graphics Systems (India) and Intel Technology India announced that Centre for Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation (C-MMACS), a CSIR research body has invested in SGI and Intel’s high performance computing technology and solutions for its weather forecasting and climate research programmes.

Siemens in alliance with Aethra
Siemens has entered into a strategic alliance with Aethra Telecomunicazioni of Italy, to offer an affordable, high performance range of video and audio conferencing solutions in India.

HSBC’s BPO centre in Kolkata
A day after Infosys Technologies promised to send a team to explore the possibilities of setting up a facility in Kolkata, HSBC Electronic Data Processing India (HDPI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the HSBC Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the West Bengal information technology department to set up a “group service centre” in the city.

ICICI eyes insurance sector
How does a bank make the most out of the expertise it has acquired over time with its technology department? Spin it off and turn it into a money-making independent company, which was just what India’s largest private bank, ICICI Bank, did.

National Panasonic contemplates national dealer
National Panasonic India’s, System Product Division (SPD) has launched a slew of new products, strengthening its offerings in the MFD and LCD projector market segments. Also on the anvil is the launch of its heavy-duty laser printers for the first time in the Indian market.