p2pnet - rss feed: Wal-Mart Everex gPC or OLPC laptop?
p2pnet news | Open Source:- Which would you prefer —- a OLPC laptop or a Wal-Mart special?
If you’d opt for a One Laptop Per Child system, under a $400 two-for-one offer, the second computer goes to a needy kid.
But it ends on December 31.
Hopefully, it’ll be extended but just in case, if you want one, better get your order in quick.
The idea behind OLPC was/is to get leading-edge laptops to poor children so they can communicate with each other and the world and, p2pnet posted last month, “by an amazing coincidence, Walmart is selling a computer for, you guessed it, $200″.
Because with former OLPC critics Microsoft and Intel now trying to horn in on the act, OLPC opened the way for a new cheap PC market.
“Everex’s TC2502 gPC is the first mass-market $200 desktop computer, featuring a custom distribution of Ubuntu Linux and headed for selected Wal-Mart stores,” said Wired, going on:
“The gPC aims to joins a popular gang of low-end economy computers leading into the holiday season, such as Asus’ $300 EeePC Laptop and VIA’s $600 Nanobook. Unlike these machines, however, Everex’s latest model is a full-size desktop, and $100 cheaper than even the slightest models from Dell or HP.”
However, posted Joel Santo Domingo in PC Magazine, his article quoted in DesktopLinux today, “The gPC was slapped together to sell to Web-savvy people who have very little pocket money,” going on, “My advice to these people? Save up for just a little longer and buy something for at least $450 that runs Windows Vista, or get the ASUS Eee PC 4G laptop.”
He goes on:
This advice also goes for tech-savvy readers looking for a simple Internet PC for Grandma or Uncle Phil, or for a really cheap PC to tinker with and rebuild. This definitely isn’t that PC. It’s touted as a system for those who don’t want to deal with installing Linux, and don’t want the expense of a Vista or Mac OS X PC. In the end, though, it has so many shortcomings I would have a problem recommending it to anyone, regardless of their tech smarts (or lack thereof).
He adds:
“I see the gPC as one of those PCs you buy as a gift for the holidays and return to the store in January.”
Meanwhile, talking of Linux boxes sans monitors, as p2pnet posted in June, you might want to consider the decTOP, a unit which costs not $200, but $100.
We haven’t seen one or tried one and therefore can’t recommend it beyond saying it’s available, but how wrong can you go for the money?
It’s a basic 128MB / 10GB / No Operating System Included / 30 Day Warranty unit
“After I got my decTOP, I was displeased with the lack of information about it on the internet,” John Miller said yesterday in a comment post on the decTOP site, going on:
“Data Evo provides only a very simple description, and a single picture. Finding other information and pictures is possible through searching the internet, but is a pain.
“Using the knowledge I have gained from owning my decTOP, as well as from reading online, I have created a wiki packed full of info about all things decTOP, including install guides, detailed hardware information, and lots of high-res pictures of the included pieces, case, and logic board.
“It can be found here: http://dectop.co.nr/wiki. And yes, it is hosted on my decTOP!”
Also See:
p2pnet - $200 Wal-Mart PCs vs cow-power, November 1, 2006
Wired - $200 Ubuntu Linux PC Now Available at Wal-Mart, October 31, 2007
PC Magazine - Everex gPC, December 4, 2006
DesktopLinux - Everex gPC, December 28, 2006
p2pnet - Ubuntu on a $99 computer, June 21, 2007
Want to help p2pnet stay online? Please click here.
Use free p2pnet newsfeeds for your site. It’s really easy!
Subscribe to p2pnet.net | | rss feed: http://p2pnet.net/p2p.rss | | Mobile - http://p2pnet.net/index-wml.php
December 31st, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Joel Santo Domingo has a very biased opinon towards Windows Vista.