Walmart launches Green Google PC for $199

[dfwjacker]

Hey welcome to JUB lovesafron

As I said earlier I'm not too happy with Google's involvement either.

Google is not "involved" in this. This company has chosen to use Google's web based services to enhance their own desktop. This has nothing to do with Google.

This has more to do with attracting consumers that are familiar and comfortable with Google and its services, than it is about pushing Google services. Also, resource wise, it makes sense to focus on web based applications since this is a lower end PC. Running local applications will tax the system more than running web based applications will. If they incorporate Google Gears to enable offline use of these web applications, this will be even more compelling to those that don't need or want a bunch of extra bells and whistles.

This system of course doesn't restrict people in any way... Since this operating system is Ubuntu based, people can install any applications they would be able to if they were using plain Ubuntu.

 

[dfwjacker]

Sorry Noelie, I think you are the one that is clearly mistaken and blinded by your own antipathy of everything Google.

From the http://www.thinkgos.com/ homepage:

Copyright © 2007 gOS. All rights reserved. gOS is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Google, the Google logo, and Google Maps, Gmail, Google Docs and Spreadsheets, Google Calendar, Google News, Google Product Search, Blogger, YouTube, are trademarks of Google Inc. gOS is an independent operating system devoted to making Google Applications and other free, web software more widespread and accessible to the world. gOS is not affiliated with Google or their partners.

Furthermore, I don't think you should be calling other people naive if you for a second think that sale of a budget PC/OS from a small startup company compares to anything that Microsoft has done to establish and maintain its monopoly.

 

[Apollo]

is that how the new Ubuntu looks? very nice compared to what it once looked as. And you shouldn't count Google as a evil company. The geniunely do things that benefit the people and its users.

also do you really expect them not to have the google apps at the forfront. i dont know of any company who would not make sure their stuff is the stuff you see first on the desktop. this is a google pc afterall.

 

[dfwjacker]

is that how the new Ubuntu looks? very nice compared to what it once looked as. And you shouldn't count Google as a evil company. The geniunely do things that benefit the people and its users.

also do you really expect them not to have the google apps at the forfront. i dont know of any company who would not make sure their stuff is the stuff you see first on the desktop. this is a google pc afterall.

BlackWolf,

In spite of what noelie says, this company is NOT affiliated with Google. See my post above.

This is not what ubuntu looks like. This is a a more resource friendly desktop environment (E17) that runs over ubuntu and is themed to look friendlier to consumers than traditional ubuntu.

 

[dfwjacker]

My original point is still valid and has in no way been invalidated by your response - last year Google was talking about a Google PC, then they were talking about a Google branded PC and now a PC has turned up with a heavy Google influence - Google is a commercial 'for profit' interest who will benefit from this and you're telling me that they had no involvement in it whatsoever!?! Does anyone else here think that's naive?

You really think that David Liu didn't get a few bucks or some kind of 'benefit-in-kind' from Google?

Sorry to bust your argument Noelie... Unless you can offer proof to back up your presumptions, I don't think anyone can take them seriously. Google has already stated repeatedly they are not going to produce a desktop operating system. Instead they are helping fund and develop many open source projects that benefit FOSS and Linux development.

I think we can all agree that if Google was going to throw its weight and money behind a PC and OS, that it would be MUCH better than this half-baked, budget Walmart system. Like I said before, I'm confident I could produce a better OS based on ubuntu in two weeks than gOS and I'm not even a developer. Claiming that Google is behind this OS/PC is an insult to Google.

 

[dfwjacker]

You've gone very quiet dfwjacker - I don't suppose an admission of being wrong or an apology is forthcoming?

Considering that everything that you posted just weakens your own argument, I don't really think there is much more to say.

If you are really interested in looking at the OS that Google is ACTUALLY INVOLVED WITH, you should check out Android. Who knows??? Maybe at some point they will port it to the desktop platform. Then, at that point, you can freak out for a genuine reason.

 

[Apollo]

Wow Sergey Brin is hot. I never knew someone that goodlooking could be a geek.

 

[dfwjacker]

Wow Sergey Brin is hot. I never knew someone that goodlooking could be a geek.

As a self-confessed geek, I take offense to that. I'd like to think that hotness transcends geekdom in my case. Although you are right about Sergey, he is a good looking guy.

 

[Apollo]

oh no i love geeky men. especially if they have glasses, but its a different type of hotness and i LOVE that. Sergey is hot in a different way. or at least that is how i see it

 

[mike_n_herrin]

/\ i know what you're say'n. he's hot, but not in the typical geek way, but more in the regular way.

 

[Jannus]

Okay. I've discovered that Everex is offering the gPC's motherboard + processor and the gOS disk (including multimedia codecs) as part of a "developer's kit" for just $60. And ClubIT is offering 1 GB RAM for the mobo for just $29. Of course, you still have to add a case/power supply, mouse, keyboard, CD/DVD, hard drive, and monitor (all of which I have), but you can get a 1 GB computer with legal operating system + legal codecs for just $89. It's not cheaper than just buying the assembled gPC outright at Wal-Mart, but at least it's available!

Specs:

# Brand: VIA
# Mfg. NO: PC2500E
# Processor: VIA C7-D 1.5GHz
# Chipset: VIA CN700 + VT8237R Plus
# Memory: 2 x DDRII slots, Up to 2GB
# LAN: VIA VT6103L PHY 10/100 Base-T Ethernet
# Audio: Realtek ALC655(support 6 channels)
# Graphic: VIA UniChrome Pro IGP(VIA CN700)
# Storage Interface: 2x PATA connectors(Up to ATA133), 2x SATA connectors(Up to SATA150)
# 10/100 LAN port: 1
# VGA connector: 1
# USB 2.0 ports: 4
# Line out / Line in / mic jack: 1
# PS2 connectors: 2
# Parallel Port (LPT port): 1
# Serial Port (Com port): 1
# USB 2.0 connectors (for 4 additional USB 2.0 ports): 2
# Front-audio connector (Mic and Line Out) : 1
# Front-panel connector: 1
# PCI Slots 1x Floppy drive connector : 2
# CD Audio-in connector: 1
# Fan connectors: CPU/Sys FAN: 2
# ATX 20pin Power Connector: 1
# +12V 4pin Power Connector: 1
# CNR Slot : 1
# IR connector: 1
# Power Management: Support ACPI S1/S4/S5 Mode
# Dimensions: 190mm x 228mm (W x L)


Link to gPC Developer's Kit

 

[Centurion]

^ I agree. You can't buy the gPC's parts for what Everex is selling it fully assembled. And I agree about xubuntu, too - I think it would run as fast as gOS. The one nice thing about gOS on the gPC, though, is that all the codecs you need (even to play commercial DVDs) are included with the computer (you don't even get all that with Windows XP!). I think retail shoppers probably expect that kind of service in a PC they've bought at retail, though (not that you couldn't offer xubuntu with all the codecs legally, of course).


More news:

It seems that not only did Wal-Mart stores sell out of their stock of the gPC within two weeks, but the Wal-Mart web site sold out within forty-eight hours of the computer going on sale!

Wal-Mart now reports that "a second round" of the computers, originally intended for release after "black friday" (this coming Friday) will be "pushed up" for earlier release because of the demand. I'm not sure what that means, but maybe soon.

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/11/linux-is-a-sell.html



Also, newegg and zareason may still have some gPCs in stock (if you believe their web sites):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883118003

http://www.zareason.com/shop/product.php?productid=16160&cat=0&page=1


[Zareason.com is also guaranteeing that, "No MS product ever came in contact with the system." ]