Low-Cost Laptops and Industry Change

Posted on by

From CNet News

… if mainstream PC buyers start to find their needs met by a lightweight, simply featured, inexpensive portable, it’s likely to impel all of the major players in the industry to pile on by lowering their prices. And that’s in an industry with already low margins for retailers and manufacturers.

If the Eee PC just catches on with Linux developers, enthusiasts, and the tech-savvy early adopter crowd, that’s fine by him. “But if mainstream buyers buy it, then, whoa,” Abary said.

This is becoming a win for Gnu/Linux and for consumers. As for OLPC and the benefits to Africa? I still need to be convinced.

One thought on “Low-Cost Laptops and Industry Change”

  1. Access to technology is an issue, not only in Africa, but in most Canadian schools.

    I subscribe to a blog that had an entry comparing 5 low cost laptops. I was going to link it in my comment to you, but I am at a loss on how to do that in a comment. The blog is:

    http://www.edsupport.cc/mguhlin/index.htm

    I pasted the article below, however I can’t make hyperlinks.

    Under $300 laptops
    With a title like “5 Sub-$300 Laptops Compared,” SolidOffice had me at “Sub-$300.” SolidOffice blog directed me to Virtual Hosting Blog to read their article. The intro at Virtual Hosting Blog (Jessica Hupp) made me think of my kiddoes and how much THEY want a laptop for Internet use:

    Whether you’re looking for a child’s laptop, or just want a cheap piece of hardware to play with, the sub-$300 laptop category has a lot to offer. With a field full of open source plaforms and rugged designs, you’re sure to find something you’ll like. Here we’ll take a look at 5 of the best…Armed with efficiency, open source software, and durable design, these devices have a lot to offer. Children, road warriors, and curious gadget freaks would love any one of these laptops.
    The 5 laptops mentioned include:

    Classmate PC
    OLPC XO
    Elonex ONE – integrated WiFi, flash-based memory (undisclosed amount), “tough” outer shell, a wireless music server, and a three-hour battery life.
    Zonbu – inexpensive but requires a subscription plan…why bother?
    ASUS Eee
    To be up front, the Asus Eee has had my attention for some time as the perfect laptop to get, even though someone shared that a new “Asus-killer” is coming out that will include a free Skype phone.

    By Miguel Guhlin at 11:07 AM | Permalink | +Del.icio.us
    Category: GNU/Linux, MGuhlin.net

Comments are closed.