Three of the world's most influential hi-tech firms have introduced products aimed at re-igniting demand for new technologies among businesses and consumers.
Intel, the world's biggest computer chip manufacturer, and its rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), launched their latest high speed processors, while Apple Computer unveiled its new iMac.
The latest version of Apple's popular iMac desktop computer range incorporates a 15 inch flat panel screen and a white dome-shaped central processing unit.
It was unveiled by Mr Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple Computer, at the world's biggest trade show for Macintosh users, held in San Francisco last night. Investment analysts with Morgan Stanley predicted that a new flat-panel iMac would boost quarterly sales from 300,000 to more than half a million.
Meanwhile, Intel, which employs 3,300 people in the Republic, and its rival AMD introduced their highest-performing computer chips yesterday. Intel's new pentium 4 processor is capable of processing 2.2 billion cycles per second.
The firm said it would enable the development of computers capable of offering new applications for digital photography and video.
AMD said yesterday it was shipping its Athalon XP processor XP 2000 plus, which it claims runs faster than the new Intel chips. AMD said its new chips will cost $339, in bulk quantities. Stiff competition in the semiconductor sector has lowered the price of speedy desktop computers to below $1,000 and sent computer chip prices tumbling.
