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Two different consumer electronics companies have used the Packard Bell name. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ...

The first was an American radio manufacturer founded in 1926,^[1][2] that later became a defense contractor and manufacturer of other consumer electronics, such as television sets. The company was acquired in 1978 by Teledyne. Teledyne (NYSE: TDY) is an industrial conglomerate primarily based in the United States but with global operations. ...

The second and current company is a personal computer manufacturer, formed when investors bought the Packard Bell name in 1986, and eventually merged with Nippon Electric Company (NEC) in the late 1990's. NEC Corporation is a multi-national information technologies company headquarterd in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. ...

The original Packard Bell

Packard Bell was founded in 1926 as a maker of consumer radios. It later found success in the military electronics industry. and the television market.^[3] It also manufactured some of the earliest computers, the most famous of which, the PB 250 released in 1961, was one of the last users of magnetostrictive delay lines as part of its memory. It was also the last machine to be partially based on the original designs of Alan Turing’s NPL Pilot ACE computer. Alan Mathison Turing, OBE, FRS (23 June 1912 – 7 June 1954) was an English mathematician, logician, and cryptographer. ... The Pilot ACE was one of the first computers built in the United Kingdom, at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the late 1940s. ...

A Packard Bell radio was used as a prop in the 1960s American television series, Gilligan's Island. The Japanese-made, eight-transistor AR-851 was an important plot device over the course of the three year run of the show. A handle and external antenna were added to the AM-only radio, presumably to make it appear more "radio like." For the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) video game, see The Adventures of Gilligans Island. ... Amplitude modulation (AM) is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. ...

Packard Bell BV

In 1986, Beny Alagem and a group of Israeli investors bought the Packard Bell name from Teledyne ^[4] and resurrected it as a manufacturer of low-cost personal computers. The computers, among the first IBM PC compatibles sold in retail consumer electronics chains — such as Sears — soon became popular. They also became known for poor quality control. In addition, Packard Bell frequently used motherboards and power supplies in unusual form factors (such as Intel's LPX form factor) that made replacement parts difficult or impossible to find. Beny Alagem (born 1953) was a former Israeli tank driver and the founder of Packard Bell Electronics, a leading American computer manufacturer during the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC, XT, or AT internal design, facilitated by various manufacturers... Sears, Roebuck and Company is an American mid-range chain of international department stores, founded by Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck in the late 19th century. ... A motherboard is the central or primary circuit board making up a complex electronic system, such as a modern computer. ... LPX (Low Profile eXtension) was a loosely defined motherboard format (form factor) widely used in the 1990s. ...

Packard Bell's old slogan, "America grew up listening to us. It still does", may have facilitated the confusion^[5]. The company also sold nearly identical systems under different names, making comparison difficult. One out of six Packard Bell machines sold at retail was returned, a rate double the industry average.^[6] In 1995 Compaq sued Packard Bell for not disclosing that Packard Bell computers incorporated previously owned parts, a practice still widespread in the computer industry (as Compaq also noted in its suit that it also practiced this, but disclosed it in the warranty statement)^[7]. The company was sued several times and paid millions of dollars in settlements. PC World ranked Packard Bell computers of 1986–1996 as the worst PCs of all time,^[6] and frustrated users often refer to them as "Packaged Hell",^[8][9]and have even gleefully disposed of irreparable machines with high-powered firearms.^[10] Compaq Computer Corporation is an American personal computer company founded in 1982, and now a brand name of Hewlett-Packard. ...

In 1995, Packard Bell acquired Zenith Data Systems from Groupe Bull in a deal which saw Groupe Bull and NEC taking a larger stake in Packard Bell^[11] to create a $4.5 billion company. The company now became integrated with NEC Computers. Its 15% market share made it the largest PC manufacturer, in terms of units shipped, in the United States. However, Compaq overtook it in retail sales in mid-1996 and cemented its lead the next year with the release of a $999 PC in March 1997. Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) was a division of Zenith founded in 1979 after Zenith acquired Heathkit, who at that time had recently entered the personal computer market. ... Groupe Bull (also known as Bull Computer or, informally, as Bull) is a French computer company based in Paris. ... NEC Corporation (Japanese: Nippon Denki Kabushiki Gaisha; TYO: 6701 , NASDAQ: NIPNY) is a Japanese multinational IT company headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. ... NEC Corporation (Japanese: Nippon Denki Kabushiki Gaisha; TYO: 6701 , NASDAQ: NIPNY) is a Japanese multinational IT company headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. ...

Packard Bell posted losses totaling more than $1 billion in 1997 and 1998. In the U.S., price pressure from Compaq and, later, eMachines, along with continued poor showings in consumer satisfaction surveys made it difficult for the company to remain profitable and led to Alagem's departure in 1998. In 1999, NEC began withdrawing the Packard Bell name from the U.S. market, while keeping it in Europe, where the brand was untainted by allegations of shoddy quality.^[12] This article refers to the manufacturer of budget-priced personal computers, not the marque of SuperMac, called EMachines which produced Trinitron monitors and networking peripherals compatible with Apple Computers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ...

Rebuilding the brand in Europe

While Packard Bell vanished from the U.S. market in 2000, it continues to be a popular brand in Europe as Packard Bell Europe (PBE) and holds third place in terms of consumer sales.^[13] They have also entered the MP3 business and produced a MP3/WMA player called the "AudioDream". In 2004, Packard Bell changed their logo and began manufacturing media products for television and wireless networking. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see MP3 (disambiguation). ... Apple iPod, the best-selling hard drive-based player An embedded hard drive-based player (Creative ZEN Vision:M) An MP3 CD player (Philips Expanium) More commonly referred to as an MP3 player, a digital audio player or DAP is a portable, handheld digital music player that stores, organizes and... Wireless networks are telephone or computer networks that use radio as their carrier or physical layer. ...

Packard Bell also sells accessories and has started operating in other continents. In September 2006, Packard Bell was bought by John Hui, the former owner of eMachines who sold eMachines to Gateway on January 30, 2004. Now known as Packard Bell BV, the company has relocated to Nijmegen. This article refers to the manufacturer of budget-priced personal computers, not the marque of SuperMac, called EMachines which produced Trinitron monitors and networking peripherals compatible with Apple Computers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... This article refers to the manufacturer of budget-priced personal computers, not the marque of SuperMac, called EMachines which produced Trinitron monitors and networking peripherals compatible with Apple Computers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Gateway, Inc. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Country Netherlands Province Gelderland Area (2006)  - Municipality 57. ...

In August 2007 Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo confirmed its interest in acquiring Packard Bell in a move to expand its market into Europe.^[14] Lenovo Group Limited, formerly known as Legend Group Limited, is the largest personal computer manufacturer in the Peoples Republic of China, and as of 2004 is the eighth largest in the world. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

In August 2007 Acer/Gateway was rumored to be looking to buy Packard Bell. ^[15] The rumor was confirmed in January 2008 when Acer announced that it had acquired a controlling interest of 75% in the parent company of Packard Bell.^[16] Acer (LSE: ACID) (Traditional Chinese: ) is a Taiwanese multinational electronics manufacturer. ... Gateway, Inc. ...

Notes and references

Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ...

External links

• Packard Bell Official Site
• Support information on old Packard Bell motherboards
• Packard Bell Sells More PCs In The U.S. Than Anyone. So Just Who Are These Guys? 1995 Fortune article