Japanese PCs, Round Two

Jon Pepper

They're back. Early in the PC revolution, Japanese electronics giants, such as Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC, Sony, Toshiba, and others, appeared ready to dominate the U.S. computer market. But it didn't work out that way. Eventually, all but NEC and Toshiba (in notebooks only) faded from the scene. Now a new wave of PCs and innovative products from Japan-based companies has arrived.

Why the change? One reason is the standardization around the Intel processor and Windows 95. This lets Japanese companies leverage their strengths in manufacturing and distribution with competitive products. In contrast, th e first time out, many of these firms tried to innovate with each new product, an expensive and risky strategy.

The first machine in this new wave is the Sony PC, a high-end small office/home office (SOHO) product that was a finalist in BYTE's PC Expo awards. The Sony PC includes a 200-MHz Pentium processor, 32 MB of RAM, first-rate audio and video, and a forward-thinking design.

In September, Toshiba will introduce its first PCs targeted at the home market. A line of business PCs from Toshiba is slated for 1997 arrival. Like the Sony PC, Toshiba's home PCs will have strong audio and video capabilities, plus support for telephony, digital videodisc (DVD), and videoconferencing. Hitachi and Fujitsu are also making serious forays into the notebook PC market.

Will this second attempt by Japanese PC makers succeed? Part of their success will depend on how well they can work with VARs, at least in the business PC market. Toshiba, which already has a strong notebook presence in the channel, appears to have an early advantage in this area. Sony seems guaranteed to obtain shelf space, thanks to its strong retail presence and brand name. Other vendors say they have bi g marketing commitments and will listen closely to customers before releasing products geared to the U.S. market.

All of this should mean good news for end users. It will bring a wealth of new products that are appealing, innovative, and attractively priced.