Wal-Mart starts selling $498 Linux-based laptop

In a move that is sure to confuse consumers and entertain geeks at the same time, Walmart has begun selling the Balance notebook for only $498.  Based on Linspire 4.5 (the OS formerly known as Lindows), it comes pre-loaded with Open Office for complete Microsoft Office compatibility as well as the full suite of Mozilla open source apps.  As far as specs, a 1.0Ghz VIA C3 processor is matched with 128MB RAM (expandable to 512MB), a 14.1-inch screen, 4 USB ports, and a CD-ROM drive.  Basic, yes, but presumably functional and good for some getting the regular stuff like email and web browsing done. 

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

"Basic, yes, but presumably functional and good for some getting the regular stuff like email and web browsing done. "

To add to that:
- Good enough, for almost any student, secretary, CEO or anyone who uses is primarily (like 90% of PC users) for email, web, word processing, storing their recipes, MP3 playback and much more.

I salute the idea of using inexpensive VIA's in such a context - computers have been sold on the promise of "Ghz" for too long. Most of my friends and colleagues would be just as well off with the Via!

Good luck, Walmart!

Jazzmadrass/Norway

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Ironically, there are some PDA's on the market that are more expensive than this notebook.

This is really a great buy, you'll just have to buy another stick of RAM...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Can you wipe it and install another OS? If it can run Lindows I imagine it could run another flavor of Linux...could be a good buy. The Via could even run XP, couldn't it?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Is that really a cd-rom drive, not a cd-rw drive?

What I know of Linspire, it isn't that safe distro compared to others (Mandrake, SuSe, Fedora Core etc.)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

no wireless... and no PC Card slot to add it easily... USB dongles are ugly and inconvenient in my opinion. i hear this thing gets about 90 minutes of battery life and that the C3 runs like a mid-range (think 600Mhz) PIII.

willing to bet $500 spent on ebay could get a better machine than this.

while breaking the $500 barrier on a new machine is impressive... a mere $50 more on the very same Wal-Mart web page and from the very same manufacturer gets you a better processor / built-in wifi / bigger hard drive and XP Home.

10% more money gets you much more than a 10% improvement.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3163026

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Now if only it were Debian... Ah well, you could wipe it. Nice though, I could go with this for college.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

For only $50 more you can get a MAJOR upgrade, even from Walmart:

AMD Athlon Processor 1.1Ghz (Better CPU and 100mhz faster)
40GB harddrive (10GB more)
DVD-Rom Drive (Well worth $50)
Integrated wireless 802.11b
Windows XP (Worth $100)

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3163026&cat=4070&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A4070

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Agreed. That extra $50 is exactly what I was thinking when checking this out last week. It's almost tempting to buy just to try it out and see how it works...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

Why all the specs don�t match ? You see one spec in the web page and another above in the full description...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

A lot of people are missing the point here. The point is that here _finally_ is a complete laptop being sold without Windows. SO many manufacturers are in bed with Microsoft. Without finding some shady small computer shop (difficult to get laptops out of) you really can't get around forking over the $200 for Windows. It's retarded. Of course it will run any distro you like because unlike windows, kernels are written for every chip arch known to man (he said hesitantly) from 8086 to PPC.

This needs to be acknowledged not as a great computer or a great deal but as a first step in ending the detrimental monopoly in the computer industry. Next time you buy a computer and you're forced to pay for windows knowing full well the first time you turn it on ubuntu will be in the drive to format the damned thing, think of this laptop and hope things keep this way.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:10AM]

One more thing I forgot...
No other computer in this price range will EVER come with a full office suite.

EVER