eSynch Planning New Launch; Emulex, QLogic Claim No. 1 Spot
Despite a Nasdaq performance that would have left less-devoted followers hiding under their beds, true believers in the dot-com arena came out in force last week for the new-economy freak show also known as Internet World in Los Angeles. Hundreds of e-businesses vied for attention as each tried to out-hawk, out-hustle and out-hype one another in a cacophony of noise, light and product demos.
A few Orange County companies made the 50-mile trek north to show off their wares, rubbing shoulders with some of the best-known names in the business.
Chad and Ryan Steelberg’s Broadband Digital Group, also known as FreeDSL.com, took a decidedly old-economy approach to promoting itself with a series of standard and rolling billboards. The free high-speed Internet access service had conveniently launched two days before the show started, generating a respectable level of buzz at the event.
Litronic Inc. showed up in a “Microsoft Partners Pavilion” booth identical to its Comdex appearance. The area, which is subsidized by the software giant, features companies that have received Microsoft’s blessing as a “partner,” usually meaning they have adopted a new technology it wants to promote.
Litronic makes smartcard-based security systems and helped Microsoft develop some of the features included in Windows 2000.
Other OC companies attending included: Irvine-based online delivery service SmartShip.com, Laguna Niguel business-to-business shipping service GoShip.com, Aliso Viejo multimedia, e-commerce and communications software maker Smith Micro Software Inc., Costa Mesa provider of web services Epoch Internet, and OhGolly.com, a Newport Beach provider of free business web sites, which was sporting a new logo.
eSynching Video
And speaking of Internet World participants, Tustin-based eSynch Corp., like a certain Texas governor and presidential candidate, wants to be a uniter, not a divider.
The company is launching a media player that combines the warring file formats of Microsoft, Apple QuickTime, RealNetworks and MP3 onto a single media interface that conveniently displays advertising and e-commerce “opportunities.”
The company, which markets a variety of web-based and traditional software, hopes to persuade other Internet-based businesses to offer co-branded versions of the player for a fee. The software is tightly integrated into a standalone mini-browser that integrates pictures, text and links alongside the video clips it shows.
The Tustin company hasn’t announced a release date, but is already signing up potential partners and advertisers.
For more: www.esynch.com.
Who’s the Boss?
There are lies, damn lies and, apparently, market research.
Orange County rivals Emulex Corp. and 1990s spin-off QLogic Corp. issued dueling press releases last week declaring themselves the market-share leader for high-speed networking devices, basing their respective victories on the very same first-of-its-kind study by IDC Research.
“QLogic is Leader in Unit Market Share of Fibre Channel Host Adapters,” read that company’s release, noting in smaller type that its 30% share includes the so-called “captive” market, meaning it counted adapter units that naturally come in QLogic’s own line of servers and workstations.
Emulex, meanwhile, touted its superiority with a release headlined “IDC Ranks Emulex Number One in Worldwide Supplier Revenue for Fibre Channel Host Adapters.” That 41% ranking, of course, did not include captive-market numbers. Emulex makes only components, not complete systems.
IDC predicts that total annual sales for host bus adapters will grow to $1.7 billion by 2003 as demand for high-speed storage-area networks drives the adoption of fibre-channel technology.
Both companies could use the good news, after taking beatings from Wall Street’s recent roller coaster. Emulex has fallen from a mid-March high of 225 to trade below 100 last week. QLogic has fallen from the 200 level to the 100 level in the same period.
Laxmi Finds Alternate Investor
The Laxmi Group, a company recently featured in the Business Journal that makes software designed to automate international shipping and customs, may have found an alternate investor.
It appears founder Shankar Ram might have jumped the gun on a potential $5 million investment by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which was still being negotiated at the time the story ran. A private investor has since stepped up to provide the money, though Laxmi and PwC have a continuing partnership.
For more: www.laxmigroup
Bits:
eFront Media Inc., Irvine, is beefing up its multimedia and general web performance by linking up with high-flying Internet firm Akamai Technologies, which provides technology to speed up Internet delivery Western Digital Corp., Irvine, has announced its newest line of Caviar fast 15.3-gigabyte-per-platter hard drives. Total capacities range from 7.5 gigabytes to 45 gigabytes. For more: www.wdc.com Sage Software Inc., Irvine, is teaming up with Scottsdale, Ariz.-based SalesLogix to develop a suite of business management software that uses a single interface. For more: www.us.sage.com.
