VIA preparing $250 PC

It may not be the next Negroponte $100 PC or AMD PIC, but Via Technologies is getting ready to unveil a reference design for a $250 PC that would be available to PC manufacturers around the world, aimed especially at those in more impoverished nations. While that price does include a monitor, don't plan on hauling it over to your next LAN party as it'll apparently run on an older Via 1GHz processor, and comes "loaded" with 128MB of RAM. They're even considering selling a PC that uses a TV for a monitor, something that's been tried in the past with, how shall we say, mixed results. Look for the reference design to be on display at the Computex trade show in Taipei next month—we'll keep you posted.

[Via Cnet]

[Eric Pobirs @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Other than low power requirements what is the possible advantage of this when there are tens of millions of old Intel and AMD systems of comparable or better performance being practically given away on the secondhand market.

If this were really a business opportunity either of the big x86 players could produce a version of their older chips on a current manufacturing process to get a huge number of incredibly cheap chips per wafer that ran on extremely little power and needed no active cooling. VIA can only hope this market stays too small for the big guys to bother participating.

[jb @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Dell often sells computers for nearly nothing, just watch slickdeals or fatwallet, buy up a bunch & solve the world's computer problems.
Maybe they'll even cut you a break on shipping & sales tax. :)

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

YOu two are acting like ENGADGET is the one in need ot a $250 PC. As the posting indicated "impoverished nations". The US, UK and "like tons" of other countries dont need this sure - but the ones you dont know about sure do. YOu know the ones in your cell phone plan: "over 160 countried worldwide" you DO know those are on Earth right? mk.

[deuce @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

But...these computers are using the Eden 1Ghz processor found in many 'carputers' and like Eric said would run on low power of 80 watts or less. When's the last time your amd or intel computer ran on that? Also these can boot from compact flash (unlike Dell) to have mini-windows and linux variants. TV-out is built into its motherboard too. They are small, fanless wonders.

[Rich @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Its not about power and CPU speed. It is about providing cheap machines to nations where $150 is far more than a months wages (may be even a year). So they don;t really care how fast the thing is runng, it is just the fact that they have one to work with.

[Eric Pobirs @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Some people here are missing my point.

I can go out anytime and buy a nicely configured (for its era) used 1 GHz P-III or Athlon system for well under $250. Better used systems are now commonly turning up as donations to schools in my area. And vast numbers of these are being piled into cargo containers and shipped to the third world. A number of companies specialize in this, some as non-profits. We aren't up to our eyebrows in used PCs because many have been junked many more have gone other places where they're still valued. Except for the power requirements these beat anything VIA is going to offer for that price. It's hard to see the point if anyone with dependable electricity can get a far better hand me down system than buying new.

[Eric W @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

I'm not sure I get your point Eric. You say there are already companies sending used computers to third world countries. Great. But VIA thinks they can make money in this market while simultaneously helping shrink the digital divide. There is clearly a large enough market in underdeveloped countries for non profit and profit to coexist. So what exactly is your problem?

Also, besides low power, Via systems are often built into more rugged designs that might be beneficial in inhospitable climates. You know, like the climates in third world countries.

[Paperless @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Its still expensive for the kind of features it has..

A computer like that should worth 100 or something.

Even people in poor contries cant buy that.

MOST OF THEM WIN A DOLLAR PER DAY YOUR DUMB F*CKS

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

This isn't news, when the Mac mini came out, people said it was overpriced, and that there were mini PC's out for 200 bucks that could play Half Life 2..

So how is 250 a good deal.

BTW I think it's safe to say MHz means dick squat, there's almost no point in reporting it. 1Ghz. Is that good or bad. Who knows.

All I can say is this. LH will require 3 GHz. Tiger runs on anything from 800Mhz G3 on up. So.. The Mhz don't compare.

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

Longhorn is just Windows XP SE. It will run fine on existing hardware, M$ has already said as much. I'm too lazy to Google for an article.

[tom @ Dec 19th 2005 2:14AM]

"They�re even considering selling a PC that uses a TV for a monitor, something that�s been tried in the past with, how shall we say, mixed results"
Ah yeah? Young cowboys don't remember the C64, nay, do they? I "luckily" had an amber monitor with mine, but many friends used old TVs with the C64.