Outstanding ODDs

The optical disk drive (ODD) market, including CDROM and CDRW,
moved at a good pace last year. Despite many brands competing in this segment,
Samsung’s 52x CDROM model was the most commonly heard name among channel
partners.

Samsung Electronics and Information Technology sold 9,00,000
units of CDROM in 2001, as compared to 3,80,000 units the year before, and most
of this were the 52x model. With a growth of 136 percent in this segment, this
model was the most popular model in 2002.

Samsung’s promotions went a long way in accelerating 52x’s
success. It bundled a scroll mouse with every CD-ROM drive in March 2001.
Samsung also carried out the ‘Score with Samsung’ promo which enabled
partners to win an opportunity to see the World Cup soccer 2002. It also
launched the Jugalbandi offer, where a Samsung multimedia Windows 2000 keyboard
was given free with every CDROM drive.

Samsung in CDROMs and Benq and LG in CDRWs were most in demand
Strengths
	Acoustic noise reduction system makes the Samsung 52X CDROM drive silent
	LG’s Mount Rainer facilitates drag and drop copying in MS XP
	Seamless link technology in Benq CDRW ensures buffer under run prevention

FIGHT FOR WRITE

In the CDRW segment two names had good brand recall–Benq and LG. While
both claim to have a greater marketshare, the channel community feels that Benq
has been doing for the past six months, while LG picked up sales in the last
quarter after revamping its distribution strategy. Benq pegs its marketshare at
65 percent for the whole year, while LG claims to have recorded 55 percent
marketshare during April-May.

Benq is playing on its seamless link technology that
eradicates buffer under-run in its CDRW. "It safeguards the interruptions
occurred during the process of CD writing, keeping the data intact and readable
anytime," says Pankaj Pamani, Marcom Manager, Benq.

At the same time, LG talks about its Exac Link and Super Link
technologies that ensures buffer under run prevention and Mount Rainer that
facilitates drag and drop copying in MS XP.