NEW: $498 Laptop Coming to Wal-Mart

[TechZ]

Wal-Mart introduced a USD $498 notebook computer Monday, the first factory-new laptop to break the sub-$500 price barrier. The company approached San Diego-based Linspire earlier this year to build a low-price laptop that would be competitive, yet inexpensive enough for Wal-Mart's normally bargain-minded customers. It will run Linspire OS, which is based on the Linux operating system.

The notebook comes with a 1.0GHz processor, 128MB of RAM, a 30GB hard drive, a CD-ROM drive, two USB 2.0 ports, and a 14.1" LCD screen. OpenOffice.org is also included, which is an alternative office suite that is compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. Linspire says the laptop is intended for use as a second or third computer, and that users should find the operating system easy to use as the features and software are patterned after Windows.

Full story: BetaNews (http://www.betanews.com/article/498_Laptop_Coming_to_WalMart/1103577943)

Not bad. Could use a bit more ram though. Students I think are the ideal target customers.

[WebHead]

Great price, crappy computer. It's only got a CD drive. Not CDRW,.. not even just a plain ordinary DVD, but just CD. And an AMD 1.0 GHz cpu with only 128m of memory? LOL. That thing will run like a dog. I can't find one decent selling point of that thing other than the overall price tag. It would be a waste of $500.

Wrbby gives it only 3 out of 10 Wrb's for overall value. :thumbs:

[RIOT]

Great price, crappy computer. It's only got a CD drive. Not CDRW,.. not even just a plain ordinary DVD, but just CD. And an AMD 1.0 GHz cpu with only 128m of memory? LOL. That thing will run like a dog. I can't find one decent selling point of that thing other than the overall price tag. It would be a waste of $500.

Wrbby gives it only 3 out of 10 Wrb's for overall value. :thumbs:

I believe it has a 1 Ghz VIA cpu...

[Stalemate]

Jaeger, 3fingersalute and I were talking about that this morning in chat... someone stated it was a C3 CPU.

[WebHead]

Ah yes,.. it IS VIA afterall. My bad. (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3504708&cat=4070&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A4070)

But still,.. 1.0 GHz with only 128M? Still not enough for what most people want to be able to do these days.

[geeksRus]

that should be a quality product...coming to a repair shop near you. the next eMachines.

[WebHead]

that should be a quality product...coming to a repair shop near you. the next eMachines.

Good point. Machines like this will help protect our job security. :D

[TechZ]

exactly, pray for more!

Youre gonna be busy post-xmas :D

[TechZ]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=20331

Excerpt:


this Gateway Solo 1450 laptop at $499.99. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=80209&item=6730548959&rd=1)

Mobile Intel Celeron processor running at 1.33GHz.

133MHz FSB and carries 256KB cache.

512MB system memory.

15-inch TFT panel

20GB hard disk,

CDRW/DVD combo

Video Intel chipset and allows up to 48MB to be used



Microsoft Windows XP home installed.

ESS 1988 sound module as well as two smallish speakers.

There are some jacks but no internal microphone. Ethernet LAN module as well as an integrated modem. + MORE(Check Link)

[CeeBee]

You are missing a point: it is running Linspire (Lindows) not windowze.. Tried Linspire on a 600MHz PIII, moves really fast... for the casual web/email user the laptop should be just fine... Now if some1 tries to load windowze.. that's a different story.