By Stevie Smith Nov 1, 2007, 14:35 GMT
In a week that has seen plenty of focus placed on the evolution of budget computer hardware developed specifically for emerging nations, American retail behemoth Wal-Mart has seized the opportunity to appeal to regular consumers through the unveiling of a brand new $199 USD entry-level computer.
American retail giant Wal-Mart is to sell the $199 USD Everex gPC entry level computer, which is equipped with a wealth of cost-cutting open-source software. Credit: Everex.
Taiwan-based First International Computer (FIC) has kept the price of its Everex-branded gPC below $200 USD by selecting open-source software rather than opting for proprietary offerings from the likes of Microsoft Corporation, reveals the Chicago Tribune.
This includes equipping the gPC with Linux-based software for Web browsing, which would usually be supplied by Windows XP or Vista; word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet applications, which would normally take the form of Microsoft Office; as well as other freely obtained features such as instant-messaging and media player software.
"There are $60 to $90 savings on every single computer sold just by getting away from the Microsoft products," outlined Paul Kim, director of marketing at California-based Everex, which is majority owned by FIC.
Current reports on the gPC are labelling it as the Google PC, as its open-source gOS operating system comes pre-equipped with no less than six Google applications, which include Gmail, Google Maps, and a direct link to Google-owned video-sharing Web site YouTube.
"Our goal is to connect people with the information they are looking for as quickly and easily as possible," commented a Google Inc. spokeswoman. "We’re also excited to see that companies like Everex are making information more accessible to more people by building affordable, open-source PCs."
Moving to quell the circulating ‘Google PC’ moniker, David Liu, the founder of start-up tech company gOS, has said that the "g" in "gPC" doesn’t actually stand for anything. He has also lauded the flexibility of the gPC’s operating system by saying that it will happily play host to an Apple iPod device.
The Everex gPC will be sold through approximately 600 Wal-Mart outlets across the United States, which equates to around an eighth of the retailer’s total U.S. stores, which a Wal-Mart spokesperson has said marks a limited test of the customer demand gathered by the cheap price being offset by the open-source software.
Set to appear this week in Wal-Mart stores, the $199 USD Everex gPC is likely to appeal to students and low-income consumers through to senior citizens and first-time buyers. It should be noted, however, that the gPC does not come equipped with a monitor, that particular piece of hardware needs to be purchased separately.
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