Rolls Out Upgraded Features, Values at All Price Points;
Launches Stepped-Up Marketing Assault
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gateway Inc. (NYSE: GTW),
which made its name by providing superior products at better prices than its
competitors, today introduces a newly reinvigorated product line with
industry-leading values as its foundation. The company has dramatically
reduced prices on its most popular desktop PCs, notebook PCs and servers, and
at the same time packed in more premium features than ever before. Whether
looking for the most powerful PC for under $600, or the most advanced PC on
the market today -- or anything in between -- Gateway customers now get more
value for their technology dollar.
For example, the performance-oriented Gateway(R) 700SE
( http://www.gateway.com/work/prod/sb_700seb_ProdDetail.shtml )
desktop PC at $1,299 (3) has been upgraded with a flat panel display
(instead of a CRT monitor); a 40GB hard drive; a dual optical 16X DVD
with 24X CD-RW drive (instead of CD-RW alone) and 1394 IEEE. Now $100
less at $999 (3), the Gateway Solo(R) 1400SE
( http://www.gateway.com/work/prod/sb_s1400bse_ProdDetail.shtml ) notebook PC
features a standard DVD drive (vs. CD-ROM), plus an Intel(R) Celeron(R)
processor 900 MHz, 256MB of memory (instead of 128MB) and a 14.1" (viewable)
display. For growing businesses, award-winning Gateway desktop PCs start at
$599 (3) also -- the Gateway 300L
( http://www.gateway.com/work/prod/sb_300lb_ProdDetail.shtml ) even includes
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Professional, the new standard in operating systems
for business. And the company has reduced the price of its basic Gateway 910C
( http://www.gateway.com/work/prod/sb_gtwy910c_ProdDetail.shtml ) small
business server from $699 to $499 (3). Starting today, additional price
reductions and feature upgrades can be found across Gateway's entire product
line.
"Gateway is back, with the best value in the industry at every price point
-- and that's where we'll be for the long term," said Ted Waitt, Gateway
chairman and CEO. "We want consumers and business customers to compare our
products, feature-by-feature, to our competitors' -- because we know they'll
conclude that Gateway gives them more."
Other recent additions to Gateway's value-oriented product lineup include:
* The $599 (3) Gateway 300SE
( http://www.gateway.com/home/prod/hm_300se_ProdDetail.shtml )
desktop system, an industry-leading value featuring an Intel Celeron
processor 1.1 GHz, 128MB of memory, a 16X CD-RW, a 15" monitor
(13.8" viewable) and more.
* The $999 (3) Gateway 500SE
( http://www.gateway.com/home/prod/hm_500se_ProdDetail.shtml ) desktop
PC, featuring an Intel Pentium 4 processor 1.60 GHz, a 15" (viewable)
flat panel display, a 16X CD-RW, and more.
* The awesome Gateway 700XL
( http://www.gateway.com/home/prod/hm_700xl_ProdDetail.shtml ) desktop
PC for $2,999 (3) -- the most advanced PC on the market today and
recent winner of PC Magazine's prestigious "Editors' Choice" award.
The system features an Intel Pentium 4 processor 2.2 GHz, a huge 18.1"
(viewable) flat panel display, a massive 120GB hard drive, more than
1GB of memory, 64MB ATI Radeon 8500 AGP Graphics, and top-shelf
components and features throughout.
* The $2,499 (3) Gateway Solo 9550XL
( http://www.gateway.com/work/prod/cp_s9550bxl_ProdDetail.shtml )
desktop replacement notebook, featuring an Intel Pentium(R) III
processor 1.2 GHz, the industry's largest 15.7" SXGA display,
DVD/CD-RW combo drive, integrated 802.11b wireless, 40GB hard drive,
Windows XP Professional, a three-year limited warranty (4), and more.
* Price reductions of $100 on most Gateway notebook PCs.
Gateway already has begun to more aggressively communicate its value
lineup, with a dramatically increased advertising schedule -- approximately
85 percent of Americans will see Gateway TV commercials an average of 10 times
in February alone. The campaign includes TV, newspaper, magazine and online
advertising, direct marketing, field marketing and in-store merchandising.
Tuesday night, a new TV commercial spotlighting the company's top-of-the-line
Gateway 700XL desktop PC will debut. A continuation of the company's popular
TV ads featuring co-founder Ted Waitt and a talking Holstein cow, the
commercial features the duo discussing the incredible power and features of
the most advanced PC on the market today.
Next week, Gateway's marketing assault will be further intensified when
the company launches the largest national promotion in the company's history
during the Olympic Winter Games to showcase its incredible new values.
Gateway will capitalize on the power of its local retail presence with
in-store events and other field marketing activities that supplement national
and local advertising.
As the Official Computer Hardware Supplier for the XIX Olympic Winter
Games, Gateway has provided some 5,500 PCs and servers now deployed in Olympic
venues around Salt Lake City, ready to power the Games when they begin on
Feb. 8.
The Olympic Winter Games provide a high-visibility forum for Gateway's
product leadership message. Gateway's Olympics marketing campaign will
spotlight the company's role in Salt Lake City -- as part of the most
technologically advanced Olympic Games ever -- and will feature selected
desktop and notebook values at several key price points. Also, the Gateway
cow will demonstrate that in addition to serving as the most effective
spokes-animal in technology industry history, he has Olympic aspirations of
his own.
Gateway's Waitt will unveil more details of the company's national
Olympics promotional plans during his presentation at the Goldman Sachs
Technology Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 6.
"Last year was about getting our costs in line and making some tough
decisions to build a foundation for Gateway's growth," said Waitt. "Today,
our cost structure and balance sheet are the strongest they've been in years
-- and we're ready to start setting the pace again with our competitors.
We're starting today."
About Gateway
Gateway (NYSE: GTW), a personal technology company, improves people's
lives through a combination of the latest and best hardware, communication
tools, applications, training and service, all wrapped in a custom financing
package. The company takes a localized approach, utilizing its Web site, call
centers and nationwide network of Gateway retail stores to build direct
relationships with consumers, small and medium businesses and government and
education institutions. A Fortune(R) 500 company founded in 1985, Gateway is
ranked as the most admired American company in the Computers and Office
Equipment industry in a Fortune magazine survey (1) and is the top brand in
customer loyalty and for first-time home computer purchases of Wintel-based
PCs (2). For more information, visit Gateway's Web site at http://www.gateway.com .
(1) Fortune magazine, "America's Most Admired Companies,"
February 19, 2001.
(2) From the Harris Interactive Consumer TechPoll(SM) study of 140,000
PC owners who use the Internet, released March 5, 2001.
(3) Prices and configurations subject to change without notice or
obligation. Prices exclude shipping and handling and taxes.
(4) Limited warranties and service agreements apply; visit gateway.com
or call 1-800-846-2000 for a free copy.
SOURCE Gateway Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.gateway.com
CONTACT:
Brad Williams, +1-858-848-2511,
brad.williams@gateway.com, or Lisa Emard, +1-949-609-4496,
lisa.emard@gateway.com, both of Gateway Inc.
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