PC Briefs

PALO ALTO, CALIF. — Hewlett-Packard refreshed its Pavilion PC line this week with the introduction of three new models, including the company's first CD-RW drive equipped entry-level PC. The new entries start with the Pavilion 6835, which has a suggested retail price of $699. The 6835 is powered by an Intel Celeron 800MHz processor, and has 128MB of RAM, 30GB hard drive, CD-RW drive, DVD-ROM drive and built in networking card. The step up 7855 adds a Pentium III 1GHz and a 60GB hard drive for a $1,099 suggested retail price. The line tops out with the 7875. It uses an AMD 1.3GHz chip, 80GB hard drive, 32MB graphics card and 16x DVD-ROM drive. The 7875 will carry a $1,599 suggested retail price.

ARLINGTON, VA. — The CEA is backing a bill now making its way through the California State Assembly that would establish a "tax holiday" on PC and computer peripheral purchases. Doug Johnson, the CEA's director of technology policy, testified before the assembly's Committee on Revenue and Taxation to strongly encourage the adoption of Assembly Bill 1199. This bill would create a three-day tax holiday in August, during the back to school buying season, giving a break and an incentive to consumers who have to make such purchases for their children's education.

"While back-to-school tax holidays have traditionally been applied to such items as clothing and school supplies," home computers and technology products have become "the educational necessity of the new century," Johnson said. California has a 7 percent sales tax rate, which, according to CEA estimates, adds about $80 to the cost of an average PC.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Kodak and Sanyo Electric Co. announced that they have signed a mutual agreement to cross-license digital imaging patents. The agreement, similar to one Kodak signed with Olympus, gives Sanyo access to more than 1,000 of Kodak's digital imaging patents and ends a suit filed by Kodak against Sanyo for patent infringement. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. The companies have agreed to work together to simplify and promote online digital printing of images so that customers can obtain prints. Sanyo digital cameras will now come with an offer to upload to Kodak's Internet services: Print@Kodak and Kodak Photonet Online.