IBM Announces Next Generation PC Performance

IBM Brings PowerPC Performance To Personal Computers With New Hardware and
Software Products; Advances RISC System/6000 Family

NEW YORK June 19, 1995 . . . IBM today announced the IBM Personal Computer
Power Series and IBM ThinkPad Power Series -- a family of PowerPC-based
"super client" systems that bring next- generation performance and new
function to client/server computing.

IBM also strengthened its PowerPC microprocessor-based entry-level and
midrange RISC System/6000 (RS/6000) workstation offerings with the latest
high-performance PowerPC 604 microprocessors, enhanced its graphics
offerings and RS/6000 uniprocessor, symmetric multiprocessor and scalable
parallel processor servers; announced a family of
high-performance/low-cost displays, and the availability of OS/2 Warp
Connect (PowerPC Edition), developed specifically for the new IBM Power
Series.

"Mid-to-large-size enterprise customers -- and any size company
reengineering its business -- need systems powerful enough to run
business-critical, advanced applications on the desktop," said IBM Senior
Vice President G. Richard Thoman, IBM personal computer group executive.
"Super client systems -- like the Power Series family we're announcing
today, along with the IBM Personal Computer 700 -- are the answer."

IBM's super client systems have the processing power that used to be found
only in high-end workstations -- systems with the horsepower to manage a
complex flow of information from many sources and capable of running
advanced applications.

What sets them apart from workstations, however, is that they offer
openness, and the usability and affordability of personal computers. To
this, IBM adds leading-edge communications capabilities and advanced user
interfaces that make collaboration across the network more natural.

                 Desktop and Mobile Systems

Four Power Series hardware platforms announced today are available in
desktop and mobile configurations. All systems use the latest PowerPC
microprocessors. The desktop systems come in different configurations and
offer a range of performance starting with the IBM Personal Computer Power
Series 830, which uses a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) PowerPC
604 microprocessor running at 100 megahertz (MHz), to the IBM Personal
Computer Power Series 850, which offers a choice of three PowerPC 604
microprocessors: 100MHz, 120MHz and the fastest available 133MHz PowerPC
604 processor.

In the future, the Power Series 830 and 850 desktop systems can be upgraded
to even faster performance levels with new PowerPC microprocessors. So,
customers today can get the exceptional price/performance and the
long-term growth path that this RISC architecture provides.

                 Wide Ranging OS Support

Today's demanding client/server distributed computing often requires
support from various 32-bit software environments. Power Series desktop
and notebook computers let customers choose from among four: OS/2 Warp
Connect (PowerPC Edition) when available, and AIX Version 4.1.3 for
Clients from IBM, Windows NT Workstation 3.51 (PowerPC edition) from
Microsoft and Solaris (PowerPC Edition) when available from SunSoft.

"The ability of Power Series desktop computers to support (several
operating systems) will give us the hardware flexibility needed to
implement a consistent software strategy," said Lyle C. Anderson, Bankers
Trust managing director of technology strategic planning and an early
Power Series user.

            Advanced Function Through Software

The performance built into every Power Series system opens the way for the
new Sensory Suite, an IBM exclusive set of technologies that exploits the
floating point power of the RISC microprocessor to provide advanced
capabilities and function.

The Power Series deploys software-based signal processing to allow voice
and music, image and video capabilities to be added to applications
virtually free.

Until the IBM Sensory Suite, advanced functions such as speech recognition,
high-quality music and full-motion video required costly expansion cards
in personal computers. The floating point and signal processing
capabilities of the PowerPC microprocessor handle these tasks easily. The
Suite includes:

* IBM SoftMPEG Decoder for viewing MPEG video/audio files.
* IBM Video CD Player for viewing Video-CD-format movies.
* IBM SoftMIDI Synthesizer for creating and playing back high-
  quality music.
* Speech dictation and command navigation using IBM VoiceType
  speech recognition technology.

                   Prices to Like

The entry IBM Personal Computer Power Series 830 desktop system has an
expected street price of $2,795 with a 100 megahertz PowerPC 604
microprocessor with L2 cache memory, 16 megabytes (MB) random access
memory (RAM), 540MB hard drive and 680MB quad- speed CD-ROM drive.

The ultimate systems for on-the-go PC users -- the IBM ThinkPad Power
Series notebooks -- will have an expected street price under $6,000 for a
system with a 100 megahertz PowerPC 603e processor with L2 cache, 16 MB
RAM, 540 MB hard drive and 680MB double-speed CD-ROM drive.

                     Power On The Go

The IBM ThinkPad Power Series 850 takes mobile productivity a step into the
future by offering a standard G10 Graphics with Motion Video Adapter for
video input and output (I/O), and voice over data capability using
standard modems plus the floating- point unit in its PowerPC 603e
microprocessor. With these features plus additional built-in function that
taps the power of the Sensory Suite, customers have a system ideal for
video conferencing, and advanced collaboration and multimedia applications
without expansion cards.

Dave Tidmore, senior engineer of MCI's Intelligent Services Platform Common
Layers department, is an early user. "We have a very strong desire to do
person-to-person video conferencing," he said. "Imagine being able to join
a video conference from your hotel room -- it's a real strong calling
card."

The IBM ThinkPad Power Series 820 offers customers a system well-suited for
the most demanding computing needs. Its innovative design, created with
developers from Canon Inc., offers palm-rest space, built-in stereo
speakers, and integrated CD-ROM.

                   Reduced IT Costs

Customers will find total cost of ownership to their liking, too.

Power Series systems' ability to run a variety of operating systems allows
customers to purchase a common hardware platform for different departments
or types of users.

"Customers benefit from better use of assets and the reduced need to
provide technical support for multiple hardware platforms," said Thoman.
"This will have a significant impact on reducing their total cost of
ownership."

                    Hello, Computer

Later this year, the Human-Centered Experience will offer customers an
interface designed to let them interact with their systems in a more
natural manner. Using Sensory Suite components like IBM's speech
recognition technology, the Human-Centered Experience is an IBM- developed
application that will include intelligent agents and optional animated
actors that respond to user input.

Customers will interact with their computers by speaking to them. Agents
will help the user do tasks such as searching for mail or placing
telephone calls while the user works on other assignments. These
capabilities are just the beginning.

System Availability

Model                        Operating System          Available
Personal Computer
  Power Series 830 (100MHz)
  and 850 (100/120MHz)..........Windows NT Workstation 06/19/95
  AIX                    07/07/95
  Power Series 850(133MHz)......AIX                    07/24/95
                                Windows Nt Workstation 07/24/95
ThinkPad Power Series...........AIX                    07/24/95
                                Windows Nt Workstation 07/24/95
1.2 GB HDD Option                                      08/29/95

IBM Personal Computer Power Series and ThinkPad Power Series systems are
backed by a three-year limited warranty.

More information about IBM Power Series solutions is available from IBM
marketing representatives or Business Partners, or by calling
1-800-472-7693. Detailed product information is available via facsimile
machine at 1-800-IBM-4FAX, or on the World Wide Web at
http://www.austin.ibm.com/powrinfo.html.

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