Today is yet another day of celebration at Velocity Micro, as we announce our agreement to begin selling Velocity Micro systems in select Circuit City stores around the US. Circuit City, a fellow Richmond based company, is a powerhouse in electronics retailing, and exactly the kind of company we want to associate with. We both share passion for our customers, a desire to meet their needs, and a belief that many computer shoppers want a premium alternative to the current offerings from the gigantic multinational builders.

I think this announcement confirms three things. First, the premium PC category is alive and well, and growing in importance for retail shoppers and sellers. I've written before about the race many of the giant PC companies are in to make computers cheaper, with more bloatware and less service. If computing is an important part of your daily digital life, this is not exactly the experience you need. Our premium category is growing, and Velocity along with it, because more and more people are reliant on the PC to organize their life, escape into immersive entertainment, generate and share creativity, or a combination of these three aspects. I guess a few people actually do work, too. What all of these users want is a fast computer with great parts, a tasteful pure aluminum case, meticulously assembled by craftsmen, and supported by the very folks who built it. You can watch as more of the giant builders will try to recreate this experience with new branding and slick plastic boxes, but the desire to offer this entire experience is not easy to pull off for bigger companies. That's why we're here today.

So the second confirmation is that Velocity Micro is the clear leader in this enthusiast space. If you know us, you know we've won more industry awards than pretty much anybody, and that's competing with these giant companies for the coveted Editors' Choice awards. Simply put, we are building the very fastest computers in the world, and we happen to offer pretty reasonable pricing for our systems as a bonus. All along, my vision has been to build boutique systems that every enthusiast can afford, and being selected by the #1 and #2 largest electronics retailers proves to me that we have created the right balance of performance and value to appeal to the mainstream base these retailers cater to. I can assure you, these companies are professionals at selecting products their customers want, so it's satisfying to be the enthusiast brand choice of both Circuit City and Best Buy.

And the third confirmation is that Circuit City is now a major player in the enthusiast PC category. It's not just because they selected Velocity Micro, but more because they were dedicated to their enthusiast customer to listen and bring them the products they wanted. They really get this category, and they are seriously committed to meeting the needs of customers looking for a better PC experience. The investment in the products and shelf space is a major financial vote of confidence in the enthusiast customer, and in the category as a whole. You will continue to see Circuit City embrace this space and bring more products to meet your needs like very few other retailers can. If you want a better PC experience, show them your support.

Let me finish with some more of the details. Velocity Micro goes on sale in select Circuit City stores all around America on July 22nd. They will offer several Velocity Micro brand performance desktop models in stock priced under $2000, with more selection on www.circuitcity.com. Further, they will be the exclusive retail launch partner for our brand new NoteMagix X20 series of high end notebook computers, featuring a gorgeous 15.4" widescreen display (my favorite size for portability versus performance), the latest Intel Core 2 Duo dual core desktop processors, and cutting edge Nvidia 8M series graphics that will handle any DirectX 10 game or video application coming out this year and beyond. Look for this powerful notebook computer in stores and online also on July 22nd, and starting well under $2000.

Welcome to the Velocity Micro family, Circuit City, and thank you for your commitment to the enthusiast PC category!