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Sleek NEC ZI Designed with Form + Power

(BUSINESS WIRE, Aug. 15, 1999) - The much anticipated release of Packard Bell's NEC Z1 will change the way people compute by offering the best combination of form, function and flexibility. Consumers seeking a sophisticated and elegant computing solution will be satisfied at last with sleek design, distinctive flat-panel display and cutting-edge power.

The NEC Z1 is an all-in-one home computer with a sleek design, stunning 15-inch flat-panel display, built-in DVD-ROM and floppy drives, a wireless keyboard and a variety of instantly accessible Internet functions.

"In designing the Z1, we created a home computer that impresses consumers with the perfect blend of technological and design innovation," said Gordon Chapple, executive vice president, Packard Bell NEC's Consumer Division. "We're thrilled with the tremendous response from our customers."

Offering a simple out-of-the-box experience, the Z1 requires only two connections - power and telephone - to be fully operational in less than 10 minutes. The Z1 also offers the simplicity of a wireless keyboard, a variety of instantly accessible Internet functions, and a comprehensive software package that supports an effortless computing experience. The Z1 will be offered at a retail price of $2,499.

The Z1 also empowers users to easily upgrade the system's hard drive and system memory. But consumers will be particularly impressed with the upgradability of the integrated 15-inch Active Matrix XGA flat-panel display.

With a simple slide of a latch on the back of the display, consumers can easily remove the 15-inch display and enhance their viewing pleasure with the installation of an optional 18-inch flat-panel display, available in late 1999. The system's upgradability features make the Z1 a consumer's ideal home computer both now and in the future.

At first glance, users are greeted with the stunning 15-inch flat-panel display, as well as the system's DVD-ROM and floppy drives. The Z1's processor, motherboard, memory and other key hardware, are housed in a slim, integrated chassis, located directly behind the flat-panel display. Supporting the chassis and display is a curved base that holds the system's hard drive.

The Z1's breathtaking design will please users not only with its aesthetic beauty, but also with its small, 10-inches-square footprint, about the size of a standard sheet of paper. With its two-toned metallic color and elegant design, consumers can proudly display the Z1 in any room of their home. More information is available at www.nec-z1.com

Digital Hearing Aids Long-Term Success

(BW HealthWire, Aug. 12, 1999) - A one-year study by Sweden's University of Linkoping, one of the world's leading audiological research centers, found that people wear advanced digital hearing instruments twice as long as they wore older, non-digital hearing aids.

DigiFocus II features a smaller yet more powerful computer chip that offers users a range of options including instruments that fit completely in the ear canal and a new fully automatic feedback management system that detects and eliminates feedback.

In addition, digital users were better able to understand speech, and were more comfortable with the sound of their own amplified voice. The study fitted people using older analog hearing aids with fully digital DigiFocus instruments, comparing them after one year of use. Results indicated that average daily usage increased from six hours with the analog hearing aids to eleven hours with the digital instruments.

Coinciding with the release of a university study revealing significant benefits for people who use fully digital hearing instruments, Oticon, Inc., introduced DigiFocus II, the first major upgrade of the breakthrough digitalinstrument that has been revolutionizing hearing health care since 1997.

"The limitations of traditional hearing aids have been a hurdle in getting people to consistently wear their instruments for long periods of time," says Peter Mark, M.D., Oticon, Inc. "The success of fully digital instruments in providing clear sound, free from noise and distortion, means users will wear their instruments longer and realize the long term health benefits."

"The most surprising discovery in this study is that, over time, DigiFocus improves speech recognition by up to 25 percent, which indicates considerable long-term acclimatization benefits," states Professor Stig Arlinger, of the University of Linkoping's Department of Audiology."

Second Generation is Smaller, Smarter, Better
Traditional analog hearing instruments have difficulty separating words in a conversation from background noise, which is disheartening to users. Even though the new DigiFocus II computer chip is one-third the size of its predecessor, it customizes sound in seven different frequency bands to precisely match a user's personal sound needs in much the same way that an equalizer works on CD sound systems.

A smaller yet more powerful computer chip offers users a range of options including instruments that fit completely in the ear canal without compromising performance, and a new fully automatic feedback management system that detects and eliminates feedback.

Audible Status Indicator provides an automatic beep signal heard only by the user when the device is turned on to acknowledge that everything is working properly. It also identifies with a different series of beeps when the battery is fading and needs replacement, and confirms when the user has switched to the telephone pickup mode. With this system users are never in doubt about the status of their instruments. Additional consumer information is available at 800-526-3921 or at www.oticonus.com

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