Wal-Mart to offer low-cost Linux notebooks online
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Wal-Mart, through Walmart.com, its online vehicle, has charged into the Linux-based notebook market with its US$498 Balance laptop, which runs the Linspire operating system.
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Upcoming chips will lead to relatively inexpensive hardware, company says.
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IBM is unveiling an aggressively priced series of Linux-only systems today that will push its Power5 line of servers down into the low end of the market, taking Linux with it.
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(InfoWorld) - Wal-Mart opened its campaign for the back-to-school PC sales season on Wednesday by unveiling a $298 desktop from Everex that combines three of the most popular industry trends -- open-source software, a power-efficient processor, and a lack of "bloatware." The Everex Impact GC3502 uses Microsoft's Windows Vista OS but substitutes the OpenOffice.org 2.2 version of word processing and spreadsheet tools for the traditional Microsoft Office variety. The computer runs on a 1.5GHz C7-D processor from Via Technologies, a chip that meets lead-free environmental regulations and saves energy with low wattage demands. The sales price does not include a monitor but is still lower than comparable packages sold on Wal-mart's Web site, such as an HP Compaq Presario, an Acer America AcerPower FH Minitower, and a Dell Dimension desktop. PC vendors usually compete for customers by slashing prices during the eight-week back-to-school season, stretching from mid-July to mid-September. But Everex also hopes to attract buyers by avoiding the free "trial software" that annoys many users, according to Eugene Chang, a product manager at Everex, of Fremont, California. Dell followed a similar strategy on July 10 when itÂ withheld bloatwareÂ from its newÂ Vostro line of PCsÂ for small business users after a long campaign by bloggers and Dell customers against common practice by PC vendors of loading unrequested software onto new computers. Software companies fund the effort as a way to find new users. Although those features are popular, they could backfire on Everex because most U.S. consumers are not yet familiar with Via processors or OpenOffice software, one analyst said. "It's not surprising that Wal-Mart, of all retailers, will sell the $298 Everex desktop; it's a good marriage with their biggest audience -- budget buyers," said Toni DuBoise, a senior analyst with Current Analysis West. "But it has a couple of problems; one is that it uses a Via processor, which is almost unknown to U.S. consumers. And it runs at just 1.5 GHz, so it's unknown how it will handle Microsoft Vista," she said. "And running OpenOffice is kind of a unique tactic. It's anti-Microsoft as Microsoft obviously owns the market for productivity software. So users may have some concerns about compatibility."
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Wal-Mart Stores Inc.  said on  Thursday it will charge less than $700 for two multimedia  desktop personal computer bundles from PC maker Dell Inc.   that it plans to start selling next month.
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The retailer trots out a portable PC for less than $600. Is it getting ready for a laptop push for the holidays?
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Blog: Everex announces Wal-Mart will carry its Windows-based, back-to-school $298 desktop, which features open-source productivity software.
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That bouncing smiley-face thing over at Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is at it again -- this time the little critter is rolling back the cost of the Arkansas retailer&#39;s online DVD rental program.
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Wal-Mart Enters the Online Music Store Mix  Wal-Mart Stores Inc. launched an online music store that works with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Media Player. Wal-Mart, which began offering music downloads in March, said that its new store will offer downloads at 88 cents per song and is somewhat of an affiliate of ...
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By GARY GENTILE LOS ANGELES - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has launched its long-awaited online movie download store, entering a market that has yet to catch on with consumers but is expected to grow rapidly.
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With $100 rebate, Sears--a major national retailer that doesn't specialize in electronics--offers a Linux desktop PC from Linspire.
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Wal-Mart is reducing the price of its online program.
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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Tuesday that it is offering free shipping on thousands of items purchased on its Web site for pick-up in more than 750 of its U.S. stores.
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Retail giant Wal-Mart has taken the wraps off a bare-bones, US&#36;498 Linux notebook that, while not exactly a stocking-stuffer, provides basic computing at a price that is tough to beat.
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There&#39;s a new laptop available and it&#39;s cheap, really cheap. Walmart.com and Linspire on Monday introduced a Linux-based laptop priced at $498.
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Wal-Mart Stores Inc.  said on Friday its Sam's Club unit will start selling Dell Inc.  notebook computers for $899 each at more than 580 U.S. stores beginning in mid-June.
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Wal-Mart's $498 Linspire Linux Laptop  I've recently been thinking about picking up a new laptop computer and handing off my Compaq (which has worked great over the past 3 years) to my wife for her excursion into the travel industry. In addition, I've also been thinking about switching over to Linux ...