Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Packard Bell Electronics, Inc.
     
         A leading US computer vendor.
     
        As recently as 29 November 1995 the Wall Street Journal
        reported that the company was having financial difficulties
        and that one of its major suppliers of CPUs, {Intel}, was
        about to make a large cash loan, so as to prevent loss of a
        major customer.  Packard Bell is a privately held company and
        the WSJ also reported that {NEC} has been rumored to have
        bought a large minority block of shares to help the company
        stay in business.
     
        Its computers are sold in major retail outlets in the USA and
        are available as a bundled package: desktop or {tower} {486}
        {CPU}, single 3.5 inch {floppy disk drive}, {CD-ROM}, {sound
        card}, 14 inch colour {monitor}, and 4-8MB of {RAM}.
     
        1995 end-of-year prices in Computer Currents magazine (a
        California Bay Area bi-monthly giveaway publication) are
        US$1500 (approx.  1000 pounds) for a 486 desktop, with 8MB
        RAM, 420MB hard disk drive, single 3.5 inch floppy drive, 14
        inch colour monitor, 2-speed CD-ROM, and 16-bit sound card.
     
        Headquarters: Sacramento, California, USA.
     
        (1996-01-02)