Packard Bell and Olympic Rink: Difference between pages
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The '''Olympic Rink''' in [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]], was located at the corner of Church Avenue and Charles Street in Winnipeg's North End. An apartment block, the "Olympic Towers", today stands on the site. |
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'''Packard Bell''' is a name used by two different consumer electronics companies. The first was an American [[radio]] manufacturer founded in 1926,<ref>Source: Computerhope, [http://www.computerhope.com/comp/pb.htm]</ref><ref>Source: Computer History Museum, [http://www.computerhistory.org/brochures/companies.php?alpha=m-p&company=com-42bc2154667f3] in [[Los Angeles]]</ref> that later became a defense contractor and manufacturer of other consumer electronics, such as [[television]] sets. [[Teledyne]] acquired the business in 1978. In 1986, investors bought the name for a newly formed [[personal computer]] manufacturer. Originally the company produced discount computers in the US, it later became a leader in the European market. [[Nippon Electric Company]] (NEC) took it over in the late 1990s and Taiwan-based [[Acer Inc.|Acer]] acquired it in 2008.[http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9881145-7.html?tag=bl] |
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The Olympic had a storied history in connection with hockey in Winnipeg. |
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==Electronics manufacturer== |
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[[Image:Packard Bell 5R3radiologo.png|right|175px]] |
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The original Packard Bell was founded in 1926 as a maker of consumer radios. It later found success in the military electronics industry and the television market.<ref>[http://www.tvhistory.tv/1950-59-PACKARD-BELL.htm 1950-1959 Packard Bell - USAF], Television History - The First 75 Years, January 16, 2005</ref> It also manufactured some of the earliest computers, the most famous of which, the [[PB 250]] released in 1961, was one of the last users of [[magnetostrictive delay lines]] as part of its memory. It was also the last machine to be partially based on the original designs of [[Alan Turing]]’s NPL [[Pilot ACE]] computer. |
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In 1955, it was acquired by the owners of the Winnipeg Warriors (minor pro) to provide a home for junior hockey following the construction of the new [[Winnipeg Arena]] and demolition of the [[Shea's Amphitheatre]] on Broadway. The ice plant from the Amphitheatre was purchased and relocated to the Olympic. |
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A Packard Bell radio was used as a prop in the 1960s American television series, [[Gilligan's Island]]. The Japanese-made, eight-transistor AR-851 was an important plot device over the course of the three year run of the show. A handle and external antenna were added to the [[amplitude modulation|AM]]-only radio, presumably to make it appear more "radio-like." |
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The [[Winnipeg Braves]] and the St. Boniface Canadians, both teams associated with the Warriors organization, played regular season games at the Olympic. |
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From 1926 through 1950, the marketing area for Packard Bell radios consisted of the states of [[Arizona]], [[California]], [[Idaho]], [[Nevada]], [[Oregon]] and [[Washington]]. Many Packard Bell models made during this period have '''stationized''' dials with the [[call letters]] of the major stations from these states marked in their proper places on the dial. These "stationized" dials also include [[KSL (radio)|KSL 1160]] in [[Salt Lake City]] and [[KOA (AM)|KOA 850]] in [[Denver]]. After 1950, Packard Bell discontinued its "stationized" dials when it began selling radios and [[television set|televisions]] throughout [[North America]]. |
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In the 1960's the Olympic was converted to a curling rink. When this use no longer proved economic, the rink was offered by its owners to the City of Winnipeg to be used as a recreational facility. This offer was not taken up and the Olympic was then sold to a developer and demolished. |
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==Computer manufacturer== |
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[[Image:Pbicon2.png|right|175px]] |
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{{coord missing|Canada}} |
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===Packard Bell BV=== |
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In 1986, [[Beny Alagem]] and a group of Israeli investors bought the Packard Bell name from Teledyne <ref>[http://www.betanews.com/article/NEC_Sells_Packard_Bell_to_Calif_Investor/1157747309 BetaNews | NEC Sells Packard Bell to Calif. Investor<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and resurrected it as a manufacturer of low-cost [[personal computer]]s. Their computers were among the first [[IBM PC compatible]]s sold in retail chains such as [[Sears, Roebuck and Company|Sears]].<ref> [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/06/12/203837/index.htm | PACKARD BELL SELLS MORE PCS IN THE U.S. THAN ANYONE. SO JUST WHO ARE THESE GUYS?], Fortune, June 12, 1995 </ref> In 1995 [[Compaq]] sued Packard Bell for not disclosing that Packard Bell computers incorporated previously owned parts, a practice still widespread in the computer industry including Compaq itself (as Compaq also noted in its suit that it also practiced this, but disclosed it in the warranty statement). <ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NEW/is_1995_April_11/ai_16803852 Broken Link]</ref>.{{Dead link|date=May 2008}} The company was the subject of several lawsuits and paid millions of dollars in settlements. In 2005 ''[[PC World (magazine)|PC World Magazine]]'' ranked the Packard Bell computers of 1986–1996 as the worst PCs manufactured of all time.<ref name="pcworld" /> In addition, one out of six Packard Bell PCs sold at retail was returned, a rate double the industry average.<ref name="pcworld">Tynan, Dan. [http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,129857-page,11-c,desktoppcs/article.htmlThe 10 Worst PCs of All Time], PC World, March 19, 2007</ref> |
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[[Category:Sports venues in Winnipeg]] |
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[[Category:History of Winnipeg|Olympic Rink]] |
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In 1995, Packard Bell acquired [[Zenith Data Systems]] from [[Groupe Bull]] in a deal which saw Groupe Bull and [[NEC]] taking a larger stake in Packard Bell<ref>Berley, Max. [http://www.iht.com/articles/1996/02/08/bull.t.php Groupe Bull Quits PCs in 3-Way Deal] , International Herald Tribune, February 8, 1996</ref> to create a $4.5 billion company. The company now became integrated with [[NEC|NEC Computers]]. Its 15% market share made it the largest PC manufacturer, in terms of units shipped, in the United States. However, Compaq overtook it in retail sales in mid-1996 and cemented its lead the next year with the release of a $999 PC in March 1997.{{Fact|date=August 2008}} |
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Aside from price, Packard Bell's success in number of units sold may have come from two areas of innovation: 1) branding and industrial design, provided by the San Francisco offices of [[frog design inc.|frog design]]; and 2) its boot-up shell [[Packard Bell Navigator]], created by The Pixel Company in Seattle. They targeted a huge section of consumers who were inexperienced using computers. frog design gave the look of quality and invented innovations such as color coding cable connectors and integrated speakers and microphones, while Navigator provided the ability for anyone could use a computer through a simple button, and then later a house metaphor. <ref>Linebach, Nath. [http://toastytech.com/guis/pbnav.html]</ref> During this phase returns dropped from 19% to 10% and sales grew exponentially. Navigator was also the basis for the much more feature-rich [[Microsoft Bob]]. In late 1995 to early 1996 [[Microsoft]] forced boot-up shells off OEM computers by updating its Microsoft Windows distribution agreement (OPK 2) and Packard Bell, without a clear on-shelf differentiator, saw sales begin to tumble.{{Fact|date=September 2008}} |
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Packard Bell posted losses totaling more than $1 billion in 1997 and 1998. In the U.S., price pressure from Compaq and, later, [[eMachines]], along with continued poor showings in consumer satisfaction surveys made it difficult for the company to remain profitable and led to Alagem's departure in 1998. In 1999, NEC began withdrawing the Packard Bell name from the U.S. market, while keeping it in Europe, where the brand was untainted by allegations of sub-standard quality.<ref>[http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,2074884,00.htm NEC disables Packard Bell NEC], ZDNet, November 3, 1999</ref> |
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===Packard Bell Europe=== |
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[[Image:Pblogo114357.png|right|175px]] |
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In 2000, Packard Bell was withdrawn from the U.S. market, Selling their Utah based call centers, all US inventory in Sacramento and all US product liability to Alorica Inc. who was responsible for providing support to all remaining US customers. However, Packard Bell continued to be popular overseas as '''Packard Bell Europe''' ('''PBE''') and holds third place in terms of consumer sales.<ref>Source: Packard Bell company profile, [http://www.packardbell.com/company/profile.htm]</ref> They have also entered the [[MP3]] business and produced a [[digital audio player|MP3/WMA player]] called the "AudioDream". In 2004, Packard Bell changed their logo and began manufacturing media products for [[television]] and [[wireless networking]]. |
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Packard Bell also sells accessories and has started operating in other continents. In September 2006, Packard Bell was bought by [[Lap Shun Hui|John Hui]], the former owner of [[eMachines]] who sold [[eMachines]] to [[Gateway, Inc.|Gateway]] on [[January 30]], [[2004]]. Now known as Packard Bell BV, the company has relocated to [[Nijmegen]] in the [[Netherlands]]. |
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In August 2007 Chinese PC manufacturer [[Lenovo Group|Lenovo]] confirmed its interest in acquiring Packard Bell in a move to expand its market into [[Europe]] by tendering an offer for Packard Bell.<ref>[http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070807-lenovo-close-to-acquiring-packard-bell.html Lenovo close to acquiring Packard Bell]</ref> In January 2008, [[Acer Inc.|Acer]] announced that it had acquired a controlling interest of 75% in the parent company of Packard Bell due to rights that it had acquired when it purchased Gateway, enabling Acer to counter offer any third party bid on Packard Bell.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/31/AR2008013101390.html Acer Buys 75 Percent of Packard Bell - Washington Post]</ref> Packard Bell is now in the same corporate family as [[Gateway, Inc.|Gateway]], a former competitor. |
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== Notes and references == |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* [http://www.packardbell.com/ Official site] |
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* [http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/pb/pbidx.htm Support information on old Packard Bell motherboards] |
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* [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/06/12/203837/index.htm Packard Bell Sells More PCs In The U.S. Than Anyone. So Just Who Are These Guys?] 1995 ''Fortune'' article |
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* [http://sudoaptitude.com/2008/09/packard-bell-joins-the-netbook-bandwagon.html Packard Bell joins the netbook bandwagon] |
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[[Category:Portable media players]] |
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[[Category:Acer Incorporated]] |
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[[Category:Re-established companies]] |
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[[Category:Electronics companies]] |
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[[Category:Home computer hardware companies]] |
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[[Category:Computer companies of the United States]] |
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[[Category:Microcomputers with non-standard form factors]] |
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Revision as of 12:20, 12 October 2008
The Olympic Rink in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was located at the corner of Church Avenue and Charles Street in Winnipeg's North End. An apartment block, the "Olympic Towers", today stands on the site.
The Olympic had a storied history in connection with hockey in Winnipeg.
In 1955, it was acquired by the owners of the Winnipeg Warriors (minor pro) to provide a home for junior hockey following the construction of the new Winnipeg Arena and demolition of the Shea's Amphitheatre on Broadway. The ice plant from the Amphitheatre was purchased and relocated to the Olympic.
The Winnipeg Braves and the St. Boniface Canadians, both teams associated with the Warriors organization, played regular season games at the Olympic.
In the 1960's the Olympic was converted to a curling rink. When this use no longer proved economic, the rink was offered by its owners to the City of Winnipeg to be used as a recreational facility. This offer was not taken up and the Olympic was then sold to a developer and demolished.