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Packard Bell intros "FunKey Town" MP3 player
Much like the oft-resurrected Commodore brand, the current incarnation of Packard Bell seems to continually find new products to slap its name on, the latest of which is the unfortunately-named "FunKey Town" MP3 player. Apparently, Packard Bell considers this to be "the first streetwear MP3 player," not to mention a "veritable fashion statement." While that may be overselling things, the player does look to be decent enough, available in 1GB or 2GB varieties, boasting the usual support for MP3 and WMA file formats, a retractable USB port, with an "anti-shock" rubber skin thrown in for good measure. As with other Packard Bell products these days, this one's available in Europe only, where it'll set you back €50 or €60 (or $70-$80) depending on the size. [Warning: PDF link][Via Pocket-lint]
Packard Bell sneaks into Santa Rosa with the EasyNote SB85 and SB86
While the name Packard Bell usually just conjures up images of hopelessly-broken Windows 95 machines in Radio Shacks, the company has been sold several times since leaving these shores in 1999, and though the specs on the new EasyNote SB line aren't exactly turning us green with envy, they're respectable enough to make us think that current owner Lap Shun Hui knows what he's doing. Both the EasyNote SB85 and SB86 feature Intel's Centrino Duo chipset with 802.11n support, 15.4-inch screens with integrated 1.3 megapixel webcams, 2GB of RAM, dual layer DVD±RW drives, and HDMI ports. The lower-end SB85 will set our European friends back €1199 ($1624) and comes with a 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo T7100, a 256MB GeForce 8600M GS, and a 160GB drive, while the €1499 ($2029) SB86 ups the processor to a 2GHz T7300 and the video card to a 512MB GeForce 8600 BS, while weirdly dropping the drive size to 120GB. Packard Bell says it'll be dropping the SB line later this month -- we're certain all of Europe is going crazy with anticipation. [Warning: PDF link][Via SlashGear]
Packard Bell's Compasseo 810 and 830 GPS units
If you've seen one decently specced 4-inch personal navigation device with RDS/TMC for live traffic info and minor PMP features, you've seen 'em all -- or more specifically, you're looking at the Compasseo 810 or 830 from Packard Bell. The GPS device features a 480 x 272 screen, 400MHz Samsung processor and 64MB of RAM. There's room to grow with an SD card slot, and Outlook contacts syncing, and if you're after some media, the unit supports MP3, AVI, WMV and MP4. The 810 comes with 1GB worth of maps on an SD card, and TMC Live traffic info, while the 830 does 2GB of SD and offers up expanded TMC Live Plus info. You can grab the 810 for 299€ in May ($406 US) or wait for the 830 to hit in June for 449€ ($610 US).[Via NaviGadget]
eMachines founder to buy Packard Bell from NEC
You know how some things go out of fashion here in the US, but they continue to live on in Europe? We're talking about things like Speedos, very colorful shirts and house music. In the computer biz, add Packard Bell to that list. As we reminded you back in late June, Packard Bell withdrew from the American market in 1999, but has remained successful in Europe under the direction of NEC. Well, yesterday, the company announced that its sale of its beloved subsidiary to eMachines founder Lap Shun Hui should be complete by the end of the month. No word on how much LSH offered for PackBell (The Wall Street Journal quoted estimates of as much as $87 million) but the head of the company, Aymar de Lencquesaing told The New York Times that its annual revenue last year was about $1.9 billion and added the company is "slightly profitable." Lap Shun Hui also offered to buy Gateway for $450 million, but was turned down by that company's board of directions. We guess Mr. Hui doesn't take well to rejection -- either way, we expect to spot him bumping to house music in an Amsterdam nightclub any day now.
NEC reportedly mulling offer for Packard Bell BV
Some of our older readers may remember using Packard Bell gear all the way back when the consumer electronics industry consisted of just radios and TV sets, and even the younger crowd probably played on a PB or two after the name was sold to a budget computer manufacturer in the mid-80's. Well even though the company withdrew from the US market back in 2000 after being plagued with quality and compatibility issues, it has actually been quite successful overseas under the guidance of NEC as Packard Bell Europe, where it's consistently been one of the top-selling PC manufacturers and even begun branching out to other product lines. Still, NEC seems to think that the tide has turned on old Packard Bell once again, as sources in Asia indicate that the Japanese corporation is looking to sell the Dutch Packard Bell BV PC subsidiary, and that eMachines founder Lap Shun Hui is looking to buy. Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun is claiming that Hui offered around $87 million for the division, probably hoping that he can use his skills to transform the 'Bell into the same type of property that convinced Gateway to shell out over $200 million worth of cash and stock for eMachines a few years back.
Skype swipes Packard Bell for EasyNote Skype Edition laptop
You wouldn't know it (nor would you probably want to), but (in)famous PC manufacturer Packard Bell is still chugging along making all manner of consumer computing devices over yonder in Euro-land; as of today, their portfolio now includes an industry first for a computer: a Skype brand. That's right, we're talking about the spankin' new Packard Bell EasyNote Skype Edition. It probably won't be any different from the rest of Bell's run-of-the-mill laptops, but it apparently will feature a 14-inch widescreen display and invariably have some kind of Skype branding. Oh, and we can postulate that it'll feature a sound card -- probably with in and output ports, 1/8th-inch -- and USB ports; that's safe to assume, right?[Via Xataka
