Sony Considering Fashionably Late Entry Into Netbook Market

Elaine Chow — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:30:00 EDT

Considering just about every other laptop maker has entered the ULPC arena, it comes as no surprise that Sony's thinking about dipping its toes into netbooks as well. Sony exec Mike Abary told Laptop Magazine to “stay tuned” about the company's netbook plans, and added that “we are letting the pioneers of the market make the mistakes... We have to participate.” What? You have to participate in creating a consumer product that's been key to keeping the PC industry from sinking with the rest of the economy? Crazy talk! [Laptop Mag]

Microsoft Offers Mega-Discount on WinXP to Low-Cost Laptop Makers

Elaine Chow — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:00:00 EDT

Ultra low-cost PCs such as OLPC's XO laptop could end up bundled with copies of Windows OS after all, if Microsoft's most recent scheme to grab market share works. The company is giving computer manufacturers Windows XP Home Edition at a steep discount to put on ULPCs, in hopes of luring them away from Linux.

In order to be eligible for the price cut, tech firms need to be making low-cost PCs that limit their screen sizes to 10.2 inches and hard drives to 80GB and under. The computers must also not have more than 1GB RAM or a 1.0 GHz single-core processor, and come without touch-screen technology. These limitations help ensure that the ultra cheap laptops won't eat into the market for mainstream PCs running Windows Vista.

Microsoft will charge $26 for XP in emerging markets such as China and India, and $32 for developed markets like the United States. What do you guys think—will the price cut destroy the inroads Linux has been making into the consumer market? [ ComputerworldUK]

Gizmodo: ulpc

Sony Considering Fashionably Late Entry Into Netbook Market

Microsoft Offers Mega-Discount on WinXP to Low-Cost Laptop Makers