Consumer and business kit converging

Business and consumer needs are being combined into one set of technologies, according to Hitachi.

Chief operating officer Mitsuo Yamaguchi explained that the growth of the distributed enterprise, with increasing numbers of remote and mobile workers, was driving the creation of products that serve both consumers and mobile workers.

"Information systems providers are moving in a new direction. In the past the enterprise was the target. Now we are seeing the combination of consumer and corporate needs into one environment," he told vnunet.com.

"The working style of employees is changing, where they want to use the same equipment at home that they use at work. And maybe the digital age of merged broadcasting and telecoms will make this possible.

"Hitachi has positioned itself in such a way that it is not an IT, utility or consumer company. It is all of these.

"If we can combine our products into one market, we will. I am not saying that we will do everything, but our strengths are in storage and data lifecycle management, plasma and LCD screens and printers."

Hitachi's Digital Media Group unveiled two new plasma monitors at the show and a long-life, low maintenance LCD projector for digital signage applications.