Microsoft selling PCs, prepaid style

Those Microsoftees like to distance themselves from the PC hardware biz in the States, only just skirting it with their MSN TV 2 (pictured) and Xbox units, but in Brazil they're jumping into the market with a system of prepaid PCs for low-income buyers. They've teamed up with local retailer Magazine Luiza, and have already done a test run of the method, which involves prepaid cards in exchange for computer use, and once the user has paid the full price of the unit ($351), they own it. Sounds suspiciously like rent-to-own, but they've been rather successful with it, so maybe that hipster-style "prepaid" terminology is paying off.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[rodents @ Jan 18th 2006 6:56PM]

hello overnight crack allowing computer to be free without credit?

[daniel @ Jan 18th 2006 6:58PM]

wow that's cheap.

[distantbody @ Jan 18th 2006 7:05PM]

Looks like they used the xbox 1 remote control mold.

[bennie @ Jan 18th 2006 7:18PM]

The difference between prepaid and rent to own is that in prepaid if my grandmother buys one and only uses it for 30mins each week she will probably not pay any where near $351.

[Mkar @ Jan 18th 2006 7:36PM]

Once I've paid the full price do I have to keep it?

[Sarah @ Jan 18th 2006 10:13PM]

Looks like a cute little guy...

Still dont think this is as cool as the 100$ laptop though :)

[Cars-imir @ Jan 19th 2006 1:17AM]

Very good idea. This might help people to get a computer, who wouldn't be able to afford one otherwise - and whom nobody would earn money with otherwise. This way, if they have a computer, they might use the internet, and MS can show as to them and earn even more money.

I just wonder, if they lose money on these computers in the long term, as some people might get these, but might only use them sporadically with out paying the full price, until they are outdated. But I'm sure MS has researched this issue before.

[Bones @ Jan 19th 2006 3:04AM]

I wonder what the specs are on them

[Dan @ Jan 19th 2006 3:46AM]

err, can none of you read? the computer pictured is not the computer featured in the Microsoft/Brazil offer. The computer pictured, as the text below it indicates, is the MSN TV 2 from 2004.

[M Freitas @ Jan 19th 2006 4:42AM]

Goodness folks, no one read the specs? The PC runs Linux (Portuguese version), not Microsoft Windows. The whole post is wrong!

[Khaytsus @ Jan 19th 2006 8:39AM]

So that's why I'm always getting ssh attacks from Brazil. Thanks Microsoft.

[Chris @ Jan 19th 2006 9:12AM]

Sweet, just what I always wanted!
I bet those Brazillians will be anxious to overclock this bad boy!

[mp3elv @ Jan 19th 2006 10:00AM]

it does use windows, if any of u wanna check the news in spanish it's here:

http://diginota.com/noticias/bill-gates-trae-un-windows-de-pc-que-funciona-con-una-tarjeta.html
the thing is that someone will find a way to bypass windows and install linux in this puppy, and then u can have a free completely enabled computer, otherwise this one comes with one of those DRMed untouchable proccesor encrypted EFI bios etc..

[mp3elv @ Jan 19th 2006 10:02AM]

Oh also forgot the people to get this computer must pay an initial amount that, guess what?, pays for the hardware itself, what u are supposedly paying with the prepaid cards is the MS software inside!!!!!