Mitsubishi VC bundle is pure marketing

Mitsubishi Electric has promised to offer videoconferencing as standard on its desktop PCs following a bundling deal to ship Microsoft's NetMeeting 2.0. Rivals are dismissing the move as pure marketing, as NetMeeting 2.0 can be downloaded for free from the Internet and is available on magazine cover-mount discs.

Mitsubishi did not deny that it is using the software as a marketing tool to help promote its PCs as progressive business machines. "As a key Microsoft partner, we are delighted to add it to our range," said Peter Pearson, product marketing director at Mitsubishi Electric's PC division.

The software is currently available for business desktops and will not ship on home PCs until the company launches its new PII MMX-based home range later this year.

Mitsubishi Electric can be contacted by telephone on 0121-7177171.