Intel's Kim issues wake up call to sales staff

SOURCES CLOSE to Samsung, in Pusan, South Korea, told the INQUIRER that Eric Kim, who used to work for the chaebol, has rapidly consolidated his position at the Intel Corporation by presenting a somewhat stunning presentation to the worldwide sales and marketing team at Chipzilla, just a day or two ago.

According to those same sources in South Korea, Kim will use his new position as vice president of sales and marketing at the Intel Corporation to promote a vision of "computing in every room". People these days are "cocooned", he is said to have said.

Maybe he hasn't been to Edinburgh, in Scotland, where getting a wi-fi connection can be very problematical. Heck. It can even be a problem in Harrow, North West London, only 15 miles or so from the hub of the universe, Piccadilly Circus, where Eros eternally uses his very irritating bow. It is hard to get one there too. Roll on Monsieur WiMAX.

We met Mr Kim, very briefly, at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. He was charm itself. But now he is telling Intel staff that convergence is in people's DNA [some organic chemical, or other. Ed.], and it will be hard to counter that argument.

Intel brings "goodness to life", Kim is said to have said. Moore's Law is not more transistors, it is more goodness. Intel is now the most exciting opportunity in the world.

In 1989 Intel changed the world by inventing the "Big Red X" - we think he means the 386SX - that product that needed an extra pin as we remembered it.

Intel gave birth to safety and trust and 2500 companies use Intel Inside and this is the major ingredient for a buying decision.

The Intel brand, according to the same sources, is more valuable than Disney. But Intel shouldn't be complacent. Kim told the sales people they must re-think the marketplace. While the Intel brand is great, we understand, the brand is "losing lustre". Most people don't care about microprocessors. The PC has matured.

Other brands are benefiting from Intel Inside, and Kim told the delegates that Intel is paying for that.

Intel is a lifestyle company now. Television was a terrible business, dominated by Sony, and other companies were attempting to get blood out of a stone.

Kim, we're told, impressed the many sales people at Intel and told them that PCs weren't just for guys any more. It's women that are driving the product.

He is said to have said he always knew "women were the boss". µ

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