Home-grown Compaq EVO D300v available from Tarsus Technologies

Tarsus Technologies, the value-add distribution arm of JSE-listed MB Technologies, has been appointed the sole distributor in SA Africa of the new, locally-assembled EVO Desktop D300v from Compaq. The EVO desktops will be produced by Compaq`s initiative partner, Ikwezi, on the Tarsus premises in Sandton.

"This initiative is certain to have a significant impact on the local market - even more so following the marked decline in the rand during the last quarter of 2001," said Tarsus Technologies MD Guy Whitcroft at the launch of the EVO Desktop D300v on Wednesday.

"Working with Compaq, we have really stripped all possible costs out of the system and are bringing a new level of value to the international brand segment. These EVOs will bring an unbeatable combination to the market: the quality and reliability of the Compaq brand, coupled with a price point previously only associated with local `white box` models."

"The white-box has dominated the desktop market for a long time, and we believe this key initiative - which has been undertaken over the past six months by Compaq and its partners - is going to revolutionise that sector which we target - SMBs, parastatals and government," said Compaq`s CRM and channel manager, Gary de Menezes.

Standard features of the Compaq EVO Desktop D300v include an Intel Pentium IV 1.6GHz/400MHz FSB or an Intel Celeron 1.3GHz/100MHz FSB processor; 128MB SDRAM; carbon keyboard and mouse; integrated Intel 10/100 network connection; one AGP slot; and three PCI slots. The Celeron comes with Windows XP Home and the PIV with Windows XP Professional.

"What we are introducing here is a competitively-priced entry-level branded PC to the South African market, targeted very specifically at the SMB, parastatal and government markets," Dave Reddy, ABG and marketing director at Compaq concurred. "Cost has been very tightly managed, specifications are fixed, but any changes needed at customer level can be done through Tarsus."

"This new offering has presented our channel partners with new opportunities for business in markets where they may not have been previously active. At the same time, by producing the Evo D300vs locally, we are creating new job opportunities," concluded De Menezes.