Google to Sell Cheap PCs

[a389951l]

It looks like Google is expanding once again. I never thought they would push into hardware.

Cheap PCs, anyone?

Google will unveil its own low-price personal computer or other device that connects to the Internet.

Sources say Google has been in negotiations with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., among other retailers, to sell a Google PC. The machine would run an operating system created by Google, not Microsoft's Windows, which is one reason it would be so cheap — perhaps as little as a couple of hundred dollars.

Article found here.

[Johnburk]

I wast just going to post that

Intressting article.

[Nasruddin]

yea i know that its old news guyz its been months

[T0PS3O]

With their search device, they've been in hardware for years. It's probably a clever way to increase their processing power, expand their distributed network of CPU's. They could use the PC's idle time to calculate queries or perform other data processing tasks.

[honey]

Most people will buy it just because it's from google, just to play with it and see how it is. I would be one of them, lol

[letas]

"Just five years ago, Microsoft Corp. was considered the Big Bad Wolf of the media business".
Now we have another "Big Bad Wolf".

This is getting into an "Big Bad World".
Hum. It already is...

[westhaven]

i think, it will take lot of time to come in india.

[aeiouy]

This is interesting, because when you are looking at low-end PCs the license for windows is a not insignificant percentage of the total price.

Problem with Google doing this is it can potentially let Microsoft off the hook for anti-trust actions, and they can go back to just promoting themselves.

[JCDev]

I don't believe this... And if they do it, they'll sell it with a Windows license.

[Seiya]

Originally Posted by a389951l

It looks like Google is expanding once again. I never thought they would push into hardware.



Article found here.

Couple of hundred dollars is not cheap. :| Well unless its a P4 2.0+ghz heh

[froinlaven]

That whole Google using idle cycles on a user's pc sounds kinda fishy to me. Unless it was stated in the terms when you buy the computer. Otherwise, it seems like Google would be better off writing spyware. Or maybe they already have... Google toolbar anyone?

[Netizen]

Denial of rumor by Google:
http://www.lightreading.com/document...WT.svl=news2_1
So, it's not true

[eWESTPost]

Have to wait until Jan 6, 4 P.M, to see what plans Larry has!

Google founder, Larry Page, is scheduled to speak 4 p.m. Friday, January 6 at the Las Vegas Hilton during the Consumer Electronics Show. The company hasn't commented on what he plans to discuss at that appearance.

[tesla]

Building cheap PC hardware is probably Google's way of planning to overthrow Microsoft. Everyone knows Billy and the boys cut contracts with PC companies to only run windows OS and if Google produces their own OS they won't be able to get these companies to switch.

The logical thing to do in a situation like this would be to build cheap PCs and sell them with a Google OS that can be downloaded via the net. This would allow Google to establish itself as both a PC and OS manufacturer simultaneously. It would also seriously threaten Microsoft.

[williamjack]

yeah!google is expanding its arms in harware also.

[tork]

I thought this was the most interesting part of the article-
Microsoft comes out swinging

When Microsoft lost its yearlong battle to replace Google as the provider of advertisements on Time Warner Inc.'s AOL Search last month, one analyst described the defeat as "the death knell" for MSN, Microsoft's Internet service.

Within days, speculation was rampant that Microsoft, determined to keep itself in the game, had offered to buy Yahoo Inc. for $80 billion. If rumors were to be believed, the Microsoft bid — a premium of more than 30% over the Web giant's current market value — was rejected by Yahoo as too low.

Will Microsoft spend $90 billion or more to buy Yahoo or, alternatively, AOL parent Time Warner? Maybe not, especially when the software giant could buy Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp at a fraction of the price. If owned by Microsoft, Diller's collection of websites such as Ask Jeeves, Expedia, HSN.com, LendingTree and Ticketmaster could help drive traffic to MSN.

[spondishy]

This made the nationals in the UK today. It's stated that Google will roll out the PC's at £110 (about $190) through Asda (a supermarket chain in the UK owned by Walmart.

[antonaf]

Google is not getting into hardware. They are using Wyse Technology to supply their hardware needs. They also will NOT use Microsoft software for their OS. It hasn't been evident if Google has their own OS, but more than likely they do, it may be a derivative of Unix/Linux open-source code or it may be a new structure. I know Google has been buddying up with Sun lately so it might be some wildfire. It will all be interesting to see. I will buy a Google computer just to see how it works. If this entry-level PC takes off, you can best believe Google will slowly push its way into the enterprise computer market.

Microsoft best bet is to come strong with Windows Vista (this year) and don't give Google much room to breath.

[Michael]

Google will unveil its own low-price personal computer or other device that connects to the Internet.

Sources say Google has been in negotiations with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., among other retailers, to sell a Google PC. The machine would run an operating system created by Google, not Microsoft's Windows, which is one reason it would be so cheap — perhaps as little as a couple of hundred dollars.

Who makes up this crap And why would anyone with an ounce of business sense beleive it?

David Krane (the director of corporate communications for Google) said in his blog "we have a number of PC partners who serve their markets exceedingly well and we see no need to enter this market; we would rather partner with great companies". I guess myths are more fun than reality for some people....

[jeeplaw]

I'm sure google would love to retread the same path that the Lindows computers did with Walmart..