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Storage Vendors, Ditch the Pitch

As a technology reporter, one gets pretty jaded about dealing with supplier briefings. These are the all-too-necessary conference calls, usually initiated by suppliers, during which we get an early peek at upcoming products and services.

The call is typically led by marketing folk gathered round a speaker phone from someone's office, while the reporter views a PowerPoint in real time and shouts intermittently down the line for clarification. A bit surreal, but one gets used to it.

It's tougher to get used to the patent absurdity that emerges on some of these calls. During a briefing this week, for instance, a startup supplier (can't say who) was holding forth on a particular product (can't say what) when I asked a question a run-of-the-mill question about the power requirements for a particular thingamajig.

"Sorry, I can't tell you that," chirped the supplier.

"But you're claiming that power is a key differentiator," I prodded.

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