AMD brings bare-bones PC to consumers

Discussion in 'News and Article Comments' started by syngod, Sep 30, 2005.

  1. syngod

    syngod Moderator

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    Radio Shack plans to start selling a low-cost alternative to the personal computer starting Sunday.

    The $299 machine, dubbed the Personal Internet Communicator, was designed by Advanced Micro Devices to access the Internet and perform basic computing tasks.

    Sunnyvale-based AMD originally conceived the device last year for low-income consumers in developing countries as part of an effort it calls ``50x15.'' AMD Chief Executive Hector Ruiz wants more than half of the world's population using computers by 2015.

    It turns out that companies such as Radio Shack see demand for low-cost devices even in the United States.

    In contrast to more complex personal computers, the Personal Internet Communicator is a bare-bones machine that is supposed to be simple, reliable and durable, said Bill Edwards, AMD's chief innovation officer.

    It uses the stripped-down Windows CE operating system from Microsoft and can be used to read and create word processing, spreadsheet and presentation files as well as access the Internet or send e-mail.

    ``It's not a general-purpose PC,'' Edwards said. ``It focuses on communications, and for a lot of folks, that's all they need.''

    So far, telephone and cable TV companies have begun providing subscribers with the machine in places such as Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and India. Soon, companies in China, Russia, Turkey and elsewhere will start selling the Personal Internet Communicator.

    In many cases, telephone companies lease the machines to consumers along with monthly telephone service. AMD estimates that about 3.8 billion people in the world currently can't afford a standard personal computer.

    The Personal Internet Communicator, a sealed box the size of a thick book, uses AMD's 366-megahertz Geode GX microprocessor and a companion chip. AMD bought the Geode family from National Semiconductor, which bought it from Cyrix. Contract manufacturers such as Solectron and FIC are assembling the machines, and monitors are sold separately.

    Source: Yahoo News
     
  2. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Cool, sounds like a good idea, There should be a stripped down Computer for communications, some people only want to send email and surf the web, why should they have to pay ££ for something they're not going to use even half the power of.
    I like the idea, very good!
     
  3. Exfoliate

    Exfoliate Geek Trainee

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    Yeah that is a cool idea, though I'm sure they could make it cheaper, dell is encroaching on the figure for a 'full featured pc" anyway. I read in Wired mag a while back about a $100 'laptop for the rest of us', it would have a surprising high res projection screen though faily limeted processing power (from AMD however) yet still pack bluetooth access, so for $100 you get quite the package.
    EDIT: Okay just spotted AT's post on exactly what I was refering to! Go figure, well he summed it up:)
     

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