Chapter 139: Product Launch

March 1, 1991.

Murphy had just passed his twenty-second birthday not long ago. After more than two months of hype, the product launch of Zhi Zi Technology, a subsidiary of Umbrella Group and a new star in the electronics industry, finally began.

Hall No. 3 of the Birmingham International Convention Center had been transformed into a huge conference hall. In the space of nearly 20,000 square meters, more than 3,000 seats were set up. Electronics product distributors from all over the world, major important media, and even friendly companies such as Intel, Apple, and Microsoft had come from afar.

Everyone was looking forward to seeing what the project that Umbrella Group had spent nearly 10 billion pounds on would actually be.

To ensure the effect of the launch, Patrick even spent 3 million pounds to use 1,500 LCD screens to piece together a huge LCD screen 30 meters wide and 12 meters high, almost covering the entire wall behind the podium, directly setting a world record.

Just to connect and synchronize these screens, eight servers equipped with Zhi Zi Technology's latest chips were used, and a set of collaborative programs was even specially developed to complete the synchronous refresh of all screens.

In fact, the preparation funds for the entire launch reached 10 million pounds, and this was just for the display of one product.

The launch started at 18:00 in the evening, and it was already full at 17:30.

On the huge screen, only a countdown number was jumping non-stop.

"Hey, Paul." A bald burly man patted his American peer who had just sat down in a suit and leather shoes, "Paul Otellini?"

The latter looked at him, "Steve Ballmer?"

"Is Intel also paying attention to this company?" Bald burly man Steve Ballmer teased.

"Isn't Microsoft the same?" Saying that, Paul Otellini also tilted his head to the side, "Look who I saw, another Steve."

Steve Ballmer looked in that direction and saw a young male with short hair and a white shirt sitting there, staring at the podium with deep eyes.

"Steve Jobs."

"He's here too."

"Of course he would come. After all, the style of the launch here gives me a feeling of Apple. But they don't have such a good big screen. Oh, this screen is really too great! I think Intel's product launches should also have one like this in the future."

The two chatted about some interesting things in the industry and talked about Umbrella's super-large investment in Zhi Zi Technology, all expressing shock at Umbrella's big hand.

"Patrick doesn't look like a Brit at all, he looks more like an American who grew up in Silicon Valley." Paul Otellini commented, "No Brit has such a big hand, crossing from the pharmaceutical industry into the unrelated electronics industry, it's really inconceivable."

"I heard it was all the decision of the mysterious founder of Umbrella, Morpheus Anon. Patrick is just the nominal group president. He only has less than 10% of the group's shares."

"There's almost no news about that Morpheus in the media. He might be the lowest-key founder of a tech company."

"Hey, Paul, want to make a bet." Steve Ballmer suddenly said, "I bet 100 dollars that today's launch will turn into a pile of shit."

"Microsoft doesn't look favorably on Umbrella Company?"

"Umbrella is indeed amazing in the pharmaceutical industry. But in the electronics industry… it's too wishful thinking. I heard their desktop system only took less than a year to develop, and it's based on a brand-new architecture CPU and instruction set. Is this a joke?"

"It is said that their chip process is very advanced," Paul said, "I also have doubts, but they are having a launch, they can't just use something that doesn't exist to fool people, right?"

"I guess they just got some other people's hardware, then used Linux to scrape together a system, designed a good-looking case, maybe it's copied from Apple's set." Ballmer said, taking his hat from his lap, pulling out a crumpled banknote, and throwing it in, "100 dollars, bet or not?"

"But I don't look favorably on them either, how to bet?"

In fact, Intel didn't not look favorably on Umbrella Company, but really didn't want another competitor to appear.

"Boring…" Ballmer was about to put the banknote back in his pocket when a hand suddenly pressed on his arm, "I don't have dollars, can I bet with pounds?"

Saying that, the other party took out two 50-pound banknotes and threw them into the hat, "I bet that today's launch will be one of the greatest launches in the history of the electronics industry. Two gentlemen, want to bet with me?"

The two Americans listened to the other party's British accent and looked at each other, "Excuse me, you are?"

"Murphy, just a nobody."

…

17:59.

The time-type countdown suddenly became a 60, then instantly became 59, then 58. Every jump of the number was accompanied by a trembling animation.

As the numbers got smaller, the amplitude of the screen's vibration got larger, and at the same time, a low drum beat also sounded from small to large, gradually converging into faster and faster drum sounds.

At this time, other sound effects also joined in, gradually becoming a constantly approaching ensemble, attracting everyone's attention in the exhibition hall to the podium.

The ensemble got faster and more impassioned, but as the numbers jumped to 10, it suddenly turned red. At the same time, another clear countdown electronic sound rang out, and the music became weaker instead, so in the entire exhibition hall, only the final countdown sound remained.

3. 2. 1.

Suddenly, the lights in the central part of the exhibition hall dimmed abruptly, leaving only the faint lights on the outermost layer.

Then, on the pitch-black screen of the podium, a vertical white line suddenly appeared. It was like a crack in space, dividing the dark space of the entire exhibition hall into two.

With the sound of a door being pushed, the white line expanded a bit. People then discovered that the dark part of the screen was actually two doors reaching the sky.

And at this moment, someone was pushing the door open from the opposite position.

"Boom!" The door was suddenly pushed open. After the incandescent light, the light intensity gradually weakened and turned into a gradient deep blue.

That seemed to be a sky, or an ocean, or a deep starry night.

And on that deep blue background, a huge red and white umbrella-shaped logo appeared.

Umbrella.

Behind the small podium next to this huge screen, Patrick, wearing a loose T-shirt, appeared there at some point.

He waved to the stage.

"Welcome, welcome everyone, welcome friends from all walks of life, welcome to the Umbrella product launch." Patrick said, "And friends from friendly companies, welcome too, I hope after the meeting, you won't hate me too much."

(End of this chapter) ===== CHAPTER 140 =====