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WinBook Launches Two New Models, Cuts Prices by Up To 20%

COLUMBUS, Ohio--July 27, 1998--WinBook Corporation today expanded both its WinBook XL and WinBook XLi series with more affordable TFT models. The company also announced price cuts of up to 20% on its high-end WinBook XLi 266 presentation notebooks.

Breakthrough Pricing On A Robust Presentation Notebook

The new WinBook XLi 233 all-in-one presentation notebook is designed for the mobile professional who requires exceptional performance and presentation capabilities at an equally exceptional price. At just $1,999, the new WinBook XLi 233 is priced 33% less than what was previously WinBook’s least expensive notebook with an Intel®Pentium®II processor. In fact, no other major manufacturer offers a 233 MHz Pentium®II notebook with 13.3-inch active-matrix screen for less1.

The WinBook XLi 233’s robust feature-set includes powerful Intel®233MHz Pentium®II processor, 4 GB UltraDMA hard drive, 9 cell Smart Lithium ion battery, and a 13.3-inch XGA (1,028-by-768) active-matrix color screen perfect for on-the-road presentations. 3D graphics acceleration with 4 MB video SGRAM, zoomed video, software MPEG support for full-motion video playback, NTSC video-out capability, and Soundblaster Pro-compatible 16-bit stereo audio with built-in speakers and microphone all contribute to the WinBook XLi 233’s outstanding multimedia capabilities. Like all WinBook XLi models, the new WinBook XLi 233 includes a simultaneously-usable touchpad and pointing stick.

New WinBook XL 233 TFT Priced At Just $1,499

The new WinBook XL 233 TFT all-in-one notebook offers small- and medium-sized businesses, corporations, students, and professionals the lowest-priced active-matrix notebook from any major manufacturer to use the Intel®233MHz Pentium®processor with MMX Technology2. Priced just $300 more than the highly-successful WinBook XL 233 dual-scan, the WinBook XL 233 TFT has many of the same features found on our more expensive WinBook XLi Intel®Pentium®II –based notebooks. Like the XLi, standard multimedia features include zoomed video, software MPEG support for full-motion video playback, NTSC video-out capability, and Soundblaster Pro-compatible 16-bit stereo audio with built-in speakers and microphone. The WinBook XL 233 TFT also includes a high-performance 2.1 GB UltraDMA hard-drive and 9-cell Smart NiMH battery.

Prices Reduced Up To 20% On WinBook XLi 266 Presentation Notebooks

Declining component prices, combined with WinBook’s just-in-time production and exceptionally fast inventory turnover have allowed WinBook to pass along savings of up to 20% on our top-of-the-line WinBook XLi all-in-one presentation notebooks with the 266 MHz Intel®Pentium®II processor. Prices were reduced as follows:

Model Old price New price Percent change
WinBook XLi 266 MHz Pentium®II/4GB/32MB $2,999 $2,399 20.0%
WinBook XLi 266 MHz Pentium®II/5GB/64BM $3,399 $2,999 11.8%

The Company

WinBook Computer Corporation sells directly at http://www.winbook.com or (800) 254-7608. In addition, WinBook models are sold through MICRO ELECTRONICS' thirteen MICRO CENTER stores. All WinBooks come with 24-hour burn-in protection, a one-year warranty on parts and labor (optional three-year PremiumCare is available on WinBooks sold by WinBook Computer Corporation, not available in Florida), and lifetime toll-free technical support.

International Data Corporation reports that WinBook ranked seventh in U.S. notebook sales for all of 1997 with 3.4% market share, up from ninth place for the previous year. WinBook is enjoying both record sales and record growth for 1998. In fact, by late June, WinBook already surpassed annual shipments for any previous entire year with more than three months remaining in our fiscal year (Oct 1, 1997 through Sept. 31, 1998).

1Comparison of prices for Compaq, Toshiba, Dell, IBM, Acer, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Gateway, Micron, Hewlett-Packard, and WinBook as of 7/27 on websites and in 8/98 Computer Shopper.
2Comparison of prices for Compaq, Toshiba, Dell, IBM, Acer, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Gateway, Micron, Hewlett-Packard, and WinBook as of 7/27 on websites and in 8/98 Computer Shopper.