IBM Computer, Laptops and Servers

Laptop Battery LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, January 6, 2005 - Consumers who have installed a home network to link PCs, audio systems and televisions are most interested in using the technology to share photos and music, according to a new survey conducted by The NPD Group. "The Digital Home Network" also reports that over the past year, the number of home network users increased 20 percent, from 28 percent to 34 percent of the population with PCs.
Outside of photos, music now represents the most popular content type shared across different devices on a home network, with 17 percent of home network users reporting they share music content between a PC and stereo or television. Fifty-two percent of home network users are reporting that they share photos.

Yes, when the computer that is physically wired to the wireless gateway is used to set up the home network. The Home Network Install CD automates the installation of device drivers for a computer that is wired to the gateway via a USB cable, and configures the network settings (including wireless security parameters) for the home network. There is no need to run The Home Network Install CD on secondary computers that are attached to the wireless gateway via physical wire. These computers will simply connect to the shared Internet connection provided through the gateway’s integral broadband modem.

Thinkpad "The Digital Home Network" is the second in a series of annual home networking reports that asks consumers about their attitudes and behaviors with regard to home networking -- from sharing broadband to satellite radio. The report looks at how current home network users are presently using the latest technology. It also describes how consumers who expect to create a home network plan to use this technology in the future.

UPnP network. UPnP network and enables the playback of digital video, photo and music content from these servers.

Microsoft According to NPDs consumer survey results, the next wave of home networkers will be more demanding in terms of features, but less concerned about how content is accessed. Those planning to install a home network were as content to enjoy music CDs, DVD movies and home videos on a PC as they were on a TV or stereo. But televisions also stand to play a more active role in the home network. In fact, a large percentage of users who plan to install a home network believe that the television could be the most effective interface in a home network.

With Zonbu, home networking has never been so easy. Plug in an Ethernet cable or the Belkin USB wifi network adapter to connect to your home network. Zonbu detects your network and automatically configures itself. Any device on your home network automatically appears. And with remote Zonbu file browsing, you can access your files from any Internet connected device at home, across town or across the ocean. in your accessories

Laptop Computers The digital revolution in consumer technology was initially driven by improvements in quality, but the focus is now on flexibility and reliability, said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group. Networking companies have recently been piling on bells and whistles to entice consumers, but at the same time many also appear to be ignoring the fundamentals.

The router shares the network connectivity with the primary computer and other devices on the home network. The router is included in your Cox Home Networking purchase. Additional computers or other devices, such as online gaming equipment, can be connected to the network with a wireless network adapter. This allows those devices to be in a different room from the primary computer or to roam around in the home. Some laptops already have wireless networking capabilities. One wireless network adapter is included in your Cox Home Networking purchase.

Laptop Computer "The Digital Home Network" report identifies performance and reliability as the most common shortcomings in current home networks. Consumers place a high level of importance on smooth playback of music and videos a feature that is not adequately addressed by today's popular wireless technologies. Furthermore, home-networking vendors must take disaster recovery more seriously. Over 39 percent of current home network owners and nearly 48 percent of those planning on purchasing a home network in the future said they considered automatic backup of content in case of a failure a must-have feature. Other popular wish list features were support of high definition television and multi-room audio.

CyberLink's ubiquituous Digital Home Solution consists of the MediaServer, SoftDMA and CyberLink Live. shift users' media content from their home servers to other devices in the home network allowing users to enjoy media content anywhere at home. CyberLink Live compliments media access at home to allow users enjoy their TV, videos, photos, videos and music even if they are away from home.

Desktop Computer According to the report, most consumers believe that while there is room for improvement in content distribution capabilities, the PC is still the best device for managing content on a home network. That said, NPD also reports that only 26 percent considered PCs adept at sharing pictures and music with other home devices, such as stereos and televisions. In addition, less than 20 percent of consumers thought that PCs excelled at sending video to televisions.

Notebooks "The Home Network Report shows us that network connectivity represents a promising value-add for consumer electronics manufacturers seeking to differentiate their products," said Rubin. "The next wave of home network consumers is increasingly eager to share content among devices in the home. Consumers are also warming to the idea of the PC as a home server, but they also recognize that networking currently works more seamlessly with other PCs, than it does with popular passive entertainment devices, such as televisions and stereo systems.

Lenovo Methodology
"The Digital Home Network" was an online survey conducted among members of NPDs online consumer panel. A nationally balanced sample of 15,000 adults were invited to take the survey during the month December 2004 and 6,500 of those completed surveys were used to create the report. The survey was structured to yield three basic consumer segments that comprise the home-network market: current home-network owners, those planning to install home networks during the next 12 months and those with no immediate plans to install a network. This is the second in a series of home networking.

Hard Drive About The NPD Group, Inc.
Since 1967 The NPD Group has provided reliable and comprehensive sales and marketing information for a wide range of industries. NPD provides critical knowledge on what is selling, where, to whom and why to help our clients make more successful, fact-based business decisions. Today more than 1,300 manufacturers and retailers rely on NPD to help them better understand their customers, product categories, distribution channels and competition in order to help guide their business and positively impact sales and revenues. Information from The NPD Group is available for the following major vertical sectors: apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, cellular, consumer electronics, food and beverage, foodservice, footwear, home improvement, housewares, imaging, information technology, music, software, travel, toys and video games. For more information visit www.npd.com

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