NPM's WebLog

Wednesday April 30, 2008

What does MySpace have to do with selling an interesting Linux-based Mini-PC?

 I guess now that you can buy a Linux Eee PC at costco, the joneses at myspace seem to have teamed up with everex to offer a cool-looking high-end dual-core laptop-equivalent mini-PC for $899 ( T5300 2MB L2 Cache,
1.73GHz) or a $499.99 ( T2130 1MB L2 Cache, 1.86GHz)... not exactly cutting edge, but on the other hand, a potentially safer internet experience for a kid, where they won't be able to accidentally download/execute the latest .exe spyware.

So maybe rather than "myspace" the reality is this is a computer targetted towards kids, teens and social computing users, who will find that almost all the software is of superior quality, compared to expensive proprietary closed-source. For example, there is no need for any parent to ever pay money for Microsoft Works or Word. It's a giant piece of crap, especially Works, which is a piece of bloatware that Dell or HP sell with their computers so that you don't unpack the box and realize you've spent hundreds of dollars for a machine that plays solitaire. Save yourself the hassles of wasting time with that disk-space-wasting copy of Microsoft Works. Delete it.. install OpenOffice, and do yourself or your kids a favor.

And note that the "myspace" computer from everex includes the full OpenOffice suite...  and also the gOS Linux distro, the gOS desktop, 3d window manager,  etc. See this review for details, or check out the advertisement below:

http://www.everex.com/?gclid=CLvWuYTChJMCFRQUawodpiMdfA

Smaller, Faster, Funner...and exclusively made for the 100,000,000+ MySpace users on the world.   See what happens when you combine an award winning design* with the power of an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor and Open Source.  The limited edition gPC mini+ provides MySpace users with a customized platform to easily collaborate, modify and update webpages on the world's most popular social networking site. With enhanced graphics, animation and a new icon dock that aggregates the latest MySpace and Web 2.0 entertainment media sites, users can surf, email, blog, IM, Skype, rip and even do a little work. (Everex and its products, the gPC mini and gOS, are not affiliated with or sponsored by Google Inc.). The 8.9" mini+, in ebony black, will be available for a limited time only.  $899.99 with 1-Year warranty and toll-free, 24/7 technical support.  Quantities are limited. *iF Design Award 2008, Best Choice of Computex 2007

Add fun with MySpace Apps Express yourself with brand new MySpace Apps. Install the Apps here for FREE or get the full assortment preinstalled with your gPC mini+! (check back weekly for more FREE Apps)   Surf MySpace Find easy access to every corner of MySpace, MySpace Music, MySpace Music Videos and MySpace TV.  It's never been easier!   Discover a Web 2.0 Media Center The gOS Space dock is stacked with the most popular websites for MySpace, News, Photos, Videos, Music, TV and more! Additionally, enjoy Pandora for music, Hulu for TV and movies and many others. Purchase Everex gPC mini+ Ebony Black Hardware Specifications 1.73GHz Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5300 (2MB L2 Cache, 1.73GHz, 533MHz), 120GB Hard Disk Drive, 1GB DDR2 667 SDRAM, DVD+/-RW, Mobile Intel® GM965 Express Chipset, Realtek ALC268 High-Definition Audio, 802.11b/g Wireless LAN, (1) 10/100/1000 Ethernet Port, (1) DVI-I Port, (1) S-Video Port, (1) IEEE 1394 Port, (4) USB 2.0 Ports, (1) 2-in1 Media Card Reader, (1) Headphone/Line-Out Port, (2) Microphone/Line-In Port, (1) Wireless IR Keyboard with integrated trackball, (display sold separately) Additional Preinstalled and Linked Software Mozilla Firefox, gMail, Meebo, Skype, Wikipedia, GIMP, Blogger, YouTube, Totem Movie Player, RythemBox and OpenOffice.org 2.3 (includes WRITER, IMPRESS, DRAW, CALC, BASE) $899.99 with 1-Year warranty and toll-free, 24/7 technical support. Everex gPC mini Snow White 1.86GHz Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Mobile Processor T2130 (1MB L2 Cache, 1.86GHz, 533MHz), 120GB Hard Disk Drive, 512MB DDR2 667 SDRAM, DVD+/-RW $499.99 with 1-Year warranty and toll-free, 24/7 technical support.