Channel slams SNI for taking the P100

Confusion surrounds the vendor?s decision to replace P100-based notebook with a P120 model

Siemens Nixdorf has come under fire from its channel following the launch of a new notebook PC.

SNI added the Scenic Mobile 300 to its notebook family in the last week of January, announcing that the entry-level model would be P120-based.

A representative of the German PC vendor then let it be known that because of problems in sourcing P120 processors it decided to launch a model with a P100 processor.

The initial launch of the Mobile 300 was delayed by SNI until the last week of January to ensure there were sufficient levels of stock in the UK channel. But the vendor is now set to replace the P100 version with a P120 model at the same price point at the end of February.

Dave Whittles, UK marketing manager at SNI, said rapid product replacements were an unavoidable part of the industry.

?We have been waiting for confirmation from Germany of the exact date for the Mobile 300 replacement, and are only now in a position where we can give details to the channel. It is unfortunate when this happens, but it can?t be helped.?

Mark Walker, product manager at Ideal Hardware, one of SNI?s two distributors, said the vendor?s speedy replacement of the Mobile 300 model was a cause for concern.

?I don?t anticipate the P100 or P120 models making up massive amounts of business ? most people will want the P133. But the planned P120 doesn?t appear on any of our price lists yet and if it is introduced too soon it may cause problems.?

J IBM has axed prices of its Thinkpad 365 notebooks. The 18 per cent cut will bring the price of a P133 Thinkpad down from $3,499 to $2,999. The cuts will be rolled out first in the US.