Ibm Personal Computer Co

IBM to Open Factory Outlet: Taking a cue from clothing and textile discounters, International Business Machines Corp. said it will open a store in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., to sell discontinued and reconditioned computer gear. The outlet will sell discontinued, withdrawn, reconditioned and returned PCs and other equipment at up to 40% off original retail prices, said Roland Hagan, a manager at IBM Personal Computer Co., which will operate the store.

AST Research Inc., the Irvine-based maker of personal computers, lost a big corporate customer to the IBM Personal Computer Co., according to an article in the June 27 issue of Business Week. Cigna Corp., the Philadelphia-based health insurance giant, said it could save 20% on its annual PC purchasing tab by switching to IBM. Cigna's PC bill is expected to be about $12.6 million. Officials at AST did not comment on Monday.

AST Research Inc., the Irvine-based maker of personal computers, lost a big corporate customer to the IBM Personal Computer Co., according to an article in the June 27 issue of Business Week. Cigna Corp., the Philadelphia-based health insurance giant, said it could save 20% on its annual PC purchasing tab by switching to IBM. Cigna's PC bill is expected to be about $12.6 million. Officials at AST did not comment on Monday.

IBM's personal computer division, after losing much of its 1993 momentum during the first quarter, announced broad leadership and structural changes Monday, including the retirement of top executive Robert Corrigan. The division known as the IBM PC Co. is the world's largest maker of PCs and grew remarkably last year after reshaping itself in the summer of 1992. But high costs and some vexing product problems have recently hurt it. No one will fill Corrigan's title as president of the IBM PC Co.

CMS Enhancements Inc. in Irvine said Monday that it has contracted with IBM's Personal Computer Co. to build components for its so-called AnyBus line of computers. The IBM unit will build motherboards--the main circuit boards that contain the primary processing chips of a PC--for CMS' AnyBus Computer Technologies subsidiary. The motherboards will feature CMS' new architecture that allows a computer to be upgraded so it can process data faster.

In a long-anticipated effort to give its troubled personal computer operation greater autonomy, International Business Machines Corp. said Thursday that it had established the IBM Personal Computer Co. as a separate business unit. Robert A. Corrigan, an IBM vice president who will head the new company, said the restructuring will enable the computer giant to respond more quickly to fast-changing conditions in the PC business. "This takes out a lot of the bureaucracy," Corrigan said.

IBM's personal computer division, after losing much of its 1993 momentum during the first quarter, announced broad leadership and structural changes Monday, including the retirement of top executive Robert Corrigan. The division known as the IBM PC Co. is the world's largest maker of PCs and grew remarkably last year after reshaping itself in the summer of 1992. But high costs and some vexing product problems have recently hurt it. No one will fill Corrigan's title as president of the IBM PC Co.

PenUltimate Inc. said Thursday that it has signed a national software license agreement with IBM's Personal Computer Co. subsidiary for automating the unit's sales force. The value of the contract, the Irvine firm's second with International Business Machines Corp., was not divulged. PenUltimate develops software for notebook, laptop and pen-based computers used mainly by traveling professionals, such as salespeople.

IBM Creates Separate Unit for PC Operation: IBM said it has created a separate organization for its struggling personal computer operation, a move to speed up the introduction of new models at more competitive prices. The company's PC design, manufacturing, distribution and marketing operations worldwide will be placed under an operating unit called the IBM Personal Computer Co. "This whole thing is about speed--faster development, a faster distribution system, faster marketing," said James A.

Computer memory maker Viking Components Inc. said Tuesday that industry veteran Sam Inman III has been appointed co-chief executive officer, a post he will share with founder Glenn McCusker. Each executive has skills that will help the rapidly growing Rancho Santa Margarita-based Viking, the company said. Inman's duties will include managing Viking's finances, manufacturing and engineering. McCusker will head sales, marketing, purchasing and international business operations.

IBM to Open Factory Outlet: Taking a cue from clothing and textile discounters, International Business Machines Corp. said it will open a store in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., to sell discontinued and reconditioned computer gear. The outlet will sell discontinued, withdrawn, reconditioned and returned PCs and other equipment at up to 40% off original retail prices, said Roland Hagan, a manager at IBM Personal Computer Co., which will operate the store.

CMS Enhancements Inc. in Irvine said Monday that it has contracted with IBM's Personal Computer Co. to build components for its so-called AnyBus line of computers. The IBM unit will build motherboards--the main circuit boards that contain the primary processing chips of a PC--for CMS' AnyBus Computer Technologies subsidiary. The motherboards will feature CMS' new architecture that allows a computer to be upgraded so it can process data faster.

In a long-anticipated effort to give its troubled personal computer operation greater autonomy, International Business Machines Corp. said Thursday that it had established the IBM Personal Computer Co. as a separate business unit. Robert A. Corrigan, an IBM vice president who will head the new company, said the restructuring will enable the computer giant to respond more quickly to fast-changing conditions in the PC business. "This takes out a lot of the bureaucracy," Corrigan said.

IBM, Apple Close to Signing Pact: The agreement to license the Macintosh operating system is likely to be signed in the next few days with the IBM Corp. Microelectronics division, the unit that develops the PowerPC chip, sources told Reuters. It would be similar to a pact Apple signed in February with Motorola Inc.'s computer systems unit, sources said.