Windows Middle East Awards 2002

Best High-End LCD
Winner: Samsung 241MP

Big, bright and beautiful, and equally at home on the wall as it is on a stand. Streets ahead...

Best High-End Inkjet Printer
Winner: HP Photosmart 7350

Absolutely jam-packed full of innovations, and it prints off a mean picture too!

Best High-End Laser Printer
Winner: Brother HL-1440

A high performance printer with a spec that screams big money...yet it doesn’t break the bank.

Best Software
Winner: Microsoft VisualStudio.NET

Possibly one of the most important launches of the year, bringing the MS vision to life.

Best Peripheral
Winner: Genius WizardPen

Genius indeed, the WizardPen takes your artwork up a gear and has plenty of interesting extras.

Best Component (Motherboard)
Winner: Asus P4 B533-M

Yet another triumphant mobo from Asus — a name now synonymous with quality and thoughtfulness.

Best Performance Desktop
Winner: DTK Cuatro 6526

Fast and furious processing power at the heart of an excellent all rounder.

Best High-End Notebook
Winner: Sony Vaio PCG-GRX1p

Size does matter, and big is beautiful with Sony’s mobile desktop replacement.

Best Storage Device
Winner: Maxtor 3000XT

Combining huge storage space with ultra portability, the 3000XT is a truly mini-marvel.

Best Projector
Winner: Sony VPL-CS5

The Cineza ruled the roost for much of the year but the VPL surpasses all before it.

Company of the Year
Winner: new HP

What a year it has been for HP Or, rather, that should now be new HP!

Of course, the major highlight of the year has to be the completion of the much talked about merger between Compaq and HP — creating what is said to be the second largest computer company in the world.

With more than 300 employees around the region the new HP also became the Middle East's largest computer company — leading the way in areas such as services, storage, printing and imaging, in servers (both NT and UNIX) as well as PCs. At the time of the merger completion, HP unveiled its new strategy and a complete three-year product roadmap. But, over the last year, the two-into-one company’s achievements have been pretty impressive anyway.

HP has continued to introduce new technologies to the market, such as support for Itanium 2, a comprehensive set of storage offerings, multifunction devices and internet-enabled printing — as well as its dedicated personal systems products. Back in January Compaq compounded its commitment to the Middle East when it opened the Compaq Solutions Centre in Dubai Internet City —enabling existing customers (and potential customers) to experience HP solutions in a specific environment.

Further evidence of HP's commitment to the Gulf came with the introduction of a full CRM initiative serving all regional customers — with HP claiming it to be the first such comprehensive CRM programme introduced by a leading IT vendor in the region.

But to reward new HP solely on the basis of these new initiatives would be to overlook the portfolio already in place — both HP and Compaq were each impressing IT end-users in their own right. Compaq has long been praised in areas such as notebook development, where its product range has something to cater to most requirements.

Similarly HP was noted particularly for its printer range, pushing the boundaries on while keeping a check on prices. But what is most impressive about the new HP is how these ranges have seamlessly merged —from behind the scenes to the shelf of the vendor. As a single company, HP now has a portfolio to rival anyone else, and with the promise of much, much more.

If all this progress can come within a matter of weeks, we await 2003 with great anticipation!