Tech tour bundle prices announced, read here!

Okay, I was 100% wrong, unlike last year, the version of Windows 2003 Server will be 5 CALs..
From: <[email protected]>
To: "'Paul'" <xxxxx>
Subject: RE: AMD Tech Tour
5 CALs


-----Original Message-----
From: Paul [mailto:xxxxx]
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 4:46 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: AMD Tech Tour

Thanks for the fast reply, another question how many Client Access
License (CAL) do you get with "Microsoft Windows Small Business Server
2003 Premium Edition"?

Thanks
Paul
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Wow, this deal is pretty poor. It's slightly better than regular price (hardware wise). Compared to last year, the deal is atrocious. :( I'm so glad I was able to get in on the deal last year (desktop bundle), which gave me the opportunity to build my first computer from scratch. And I love it! :cool:

At the least, AMD, since they're all about how their dual-core CPUs kick ass and will probably discuss their multi-core chips quite a bit during the Tech Tour, should've included an X2 CPU and not the 4000+. :rolleyes:

Suggestion to a mod: Please add "AMD" in the title to make it more search friendly. Thanks.
 
Soymilk said:
i dont get why they include an os for the desktop bundle. especially since its for companies. wtf kind of company doesn't have a windows corporate edition already? do they expect this to b the first pc that company has?

stupid os bloating the price :(
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Most companies do NOT use the "corporate" edition. Anything less than 500 desktop's, it's not cost effective to even bother due to licencing management aspect of it.

As for the EIN working to sign up. I've been signed up for years and been using my EIN with AMD.
 
Yeah, the "deal" is near retail, the XPpro cost's $35 at the Microsoft company store, and the XFi is no doubt a marketing lossleader that Creative gave them a batch of, figure its worth $25.

Not much of a bargain.

165, MSI board, XPpro, 2G ddr400 ram for $400 would have been a bargain.
 
Who ever said the prices are higher this year due to the massive rush last year is dead on the money; and following is my own opinon on that subject.

When the AMD Tech Tour got slammed with a bunch of freaking teenagers, not business owners (meaning actually having a business license, etc) they obviously got blind sided. Further this isn't meant to be an "OMFG! HOT DEALS FOR ALL!" it's meant as a way to get business owners such as myself interested and educated about the products being offered. The bundles were there to sweeten the pot and to encourage you to play with, and therefore become familiar with, the products being pushed. (Hell, after getting home and setting up my desktop bundle, I learned there was no freaking way I'd sell a client Windows XP-64 at that point in time; but now might be different)

Anyway, as a direct result AMD/MS/et al did two things. 1) They jacked the prices up high enough to dissuade the average teenager from wanting the parts and 2) they now require a SSN/EIN/Tax ID to prove that you're in fact a business owner/partner/whatever. Chances are they'll see a fair amount of backlash from legitimate folks about item 1 and very little about item 2. Hell, far as I'm concerned they ought to require you to show your business license from the state and/or county you're doing business in instead of the SSN/EID route. Chances are next year the price will be lower and the "proof of being a legitimate business" will be higher.

As for being a HotDeal or not, I'd say it's still pretty good; but only if you need all the parts being sold. As always eBay will be swamped with people selling off bits they don't need; so keep that in mind both ways. Meaning you might be in for a rude awakening if you're planning on eBaying off your excess hardware; or that you might be able to find some great deals vs. going to the TechTour itself.

All a moot point for me though; going to be out of the country when it hits the Bay Area... and besides, neither bundle appeals to me personally. ;)

Regards,
fastgeek
 
^ fastgeek, I see your point. But AMD could've used this opportunity to let the teenagers unoffically give them free word-of-mouth advertising. Hell, I think that's one of the reasons AMD did so well (financially) the past financial year: their computer enthusiast customers provided free advertising for AMD by spreading the word to their friends and anonymously via forums (such as this one).

With all due respect to computer resellers such as yourself, it's the average computer enthusiast who does more to spread the good word of AMD. So while this Tech Tour is officially for professional computer resellers, AMD could've looked the other way again and let these "teenagers" as you call them continue to provide free and effective advertising.
 
beowulf7 said:
^ fastgeek, I see your point. But AMD could've used this opportunity to let the teenagers unoffically give them free word-of-mouth advertising. Hell, I think that's one of the reasons AMD did so well (financially) the past financial year: their computer enthusiast customers provided free advertising for AMD by spreading the word to their friends and anonymously via forums (such as this one).

With all due respect to computer resellers such as yourself, it's the average computer enthusiast who does more to spread the good word of AMD. So while this Tech Tour is officially for professional computer resellers, AMD could've looked the other way again and let these "teenagers" as you call them continue to provide free and effective advertising.
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Are there numbers that show that the majority of AMD CPU sales are sold to individuals who build their own machines?

IME, the average user out there doesn't build their own computer and unless you're willing to give them the level of support that a system builder (Local or national) they're buying it from HP, Dell, local builder or a retailer like Best Buy or Office Depot.

Honestly, if you're an individual user going to an AMD tech expo to buy a bundle, aren't you already on the AMD train?
 
nilepez said:
Are there numbers that show that the majority of AMD CPU sales are sold to individuals who build their own machines?

IME, the average user out there doesn't build their own computer and unless you're willing to give them the level of support that a system builder (Local or national) they're buying it from HP, Dell, local builder or a retailer like Best Buy or Office Depot.

Honestly, if you're an individual user going to an AMD tech expo to buy a bundle, aren't you already on the AMD train?
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To briefly answer your questions (kind of in a rush ATM):
1.) No, I'm not aware of any stats; I was just stating my opinion. Also, AMD computer builders can spread the word to others who may not necessarily be computer builders, but in need of a computer, to get AMD instead of Intel.

2.) No, I was not already on the AMD train. I previously owned a Dell computer (obviously, with an Intel processor).
 
Yeah, as I have said before, this is being targeted towards a MUCH more business oriented crowd. They definitely are trying to weed out the teenagers...and although I was informed originally that they might offer an entire system to disuade the avg joe from coming to get a good deal, the high prices are just as effective.

The funny part is..if you are a MS partner/MSDN subscriber you get the included software for free and you get quite a few more CALs to boot...you also get the software to demo to clients as well (such as here is a box with eval software, play with it for a week let us know what you think...is a popular use for such software).

Also, if you are a legitimate reseller, and have access to distribution and the rest of the channel, the hardware isn't that big of a break either.

I am a bit disappointed in the pricing, but I don't see them too worried about the pissed off high school kids. This is targeted at small business owners who resell/support/admin software/hardware/pre-bundled systems...I don't know if everyone got the same speil about the MS Media Center functionality and the business owners means of selling more of them. And the low TCOS of having a server room full of low wattage opterons vs Xeons...sorry I don't think ANY of the actual things discussed at last years Tech Tour were geared towards the end user. This year they are just making sure that the majority of the people in the audience actually are who they are targeting.
 
wazoo42 said:
I'll add my opinion, this is a crap deal (at least for the server one I haven't been following desktop prices). It seems like all three companies are trying to move out stock they don't want any more b/c of new things being introduced soon (socket F, etc). No tech tour for me this year.
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I agree that AMD and Creative are using the tech tour to clean out inventory for their weaker selling products. But, their thinking is not so bad under a closer inspection.

There are few people willing to pay the clock-speed premium for AMD's fastest single-core Athlon 64 (non-FX). At the same time, AMD is struggling to produce X2's fast enough -- so it would be much more detrimental to their bottom line to be selling X2's. It's smart to include sell the 4000+ because it is blazing fast non-SMP roles. Also, it's smart for MSI to include a small, stable mobo geared towards the business/OEM sector they seem to be targeting.

Although their price point may keep consumers away, I fear $400 is just too much money for a system builder's pet project given our income. Last year's $250 was perfect, and we know it's not hard to 'borrow' some RAM for 'testing.' But I personally know many people that AMD wants to target who will simply say 'no thanks' this year, but said 'yes plz' last year. To make it worse, we can easily build/buy a Intel D 805 system for $400 -- a great dual-core system to match the Microsoft 64x huff and puff. My guess is the people who will buy the 4000+ will be non-multi-tasking power users and/or gamers.
 
fastgeek, could not have said it better myself, very well articulated. There have been and will be other tours for the computer enthusiasts out there.
 
Anyway, as a direct result AMD/MS/et al did two things. 1) They jacked the prices up high enough to dissuade the average teenager from wanting the parts and
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This is correct, however the reasoning behind it might not be apparent. It is not that AMD was flooded with teenagers buying parts cheap, AMD didnt mind this, its good advertisement. What happened was that one (or more) retail sellers found that AMD was selling parts UNDER cost, and that they werent requireing any proof regarding their right to purchase this, just signing up etc. The said reseller used this information as leverage against AMD to receive special pricing on CPUs, and so AMD is trying to avoid this happening again.

2) they now require a SSN/EIN/Tax ID to prove that you're in fact a business owner/partner/whatever. Chances are they'll see a fair amount of backlash from legitimate folks about item 1 and very little about item 2. Hell, far as I'm concerned they ought to require you to show your business license from the state and/or county you're doing business in instead of the SSN/EID route. Chances are next year the price will be lower and the "proof of being a legitimate business" will be higher.
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This would not be practical, as all employees of national computing chains like Best Buy, CompUSA, Microcenter etc., are eligible for this deal (and always have been, even back when the deal was a K62-450.. ahh the good ole days.) The vast majority of your retail floor salespeople would not have access to these kinds of specific state/county business licenses.
 
vbrtrmn said:
Okay, I was 100% wrong, unlike last year, the version of Windows 2003 Server will be 5 CALs..
Click to expand...

So does this also mean that the OS won't be labeled as "Not for Resale"?
 
Are the bundles bad compared to last year,

or

just bad?



 
Has anyone heard about where to sign up and where at in washington dc the tour will be held?
 
What happens if i purchased the bundle and when i get there i dont want it. Will i get reimbursed?
 
when I registered...it said if you don't make it you will be reimbursed....don't know about going and not picking it up...I would think that you could just say you don't want it...?
 
rocksarkar said:
What happens if i purchased the bundle and when i get there i dont want it. Will i get reimbursed?
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I know last year's policy was that if you didn't pick up the bundle for whatever reason, you could either have it shipped to you or you can have your $ refunded. So I figure this year's policy should be the same; at least the latter part (given the tax ID verification crap they through in this year).
 
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