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Rumors, Conspiracies, etc.

by Mike Masnick

Tue, Jan 3rd 2006 1:46am




Rumor Machine Gets Cranking: Google PC?

from the a-little-more-evidence-please dept

It's not the first time this has been rumored, and probably won't be the last, but an LA Times piece has people buzzing about the possibility that Google is planning to announce a PC that will be sold at Wal-Mart later this week at CES. This has all the makings of the supposedly "big" announcement Google and Sun made back in October. For a few days before there were rumors all over the news about how Sun and Google planned to announce something, which way too many people (including the press) immediately assumed was Google offering their own version (perhaps web-based) of OpenOffice and taking on Microsoft directly. Of course, the actual announcement was nothing of the sort. It wasn't even that interesting. Google certainly could introduce their own PC with their own OS, but it seems unlikely. It's also not that clear that it would sell that well. Wal-Mart did recently try to sell super cheap PCs based on Linux, but they didn't sell well and were removed from store shelves. Would it be that different if they had a Google brand slapped on them?
9 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  • identicon
    sad, 3 Jan 2006 @ 6:22am

    No Subject Given

    what would be different is if everyone looked at all the comments on /. for this same topic

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Wolfger, 3 Jan 2006 @ 6:40am

    I think it's different.

    I think Google-branded Linux-based PC would sell much better that any other Linux brand. Linux, once you get past the install stage, is not terribly difficult to use, but the name Linux scares a lot of people. They simply don't want to touch a Linux computer because they've heard that Linux is complicated and they believe it. Google would be a friendly face, though. People trust Google. Possibly more than they ought to. I think they would be willing to give Google OS a try, so long as they don't hear the word "Linux".

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Andrew Strasser, 3 Jan 2006 @ 9:04am

      Re: I think it's different.

      I think that is most people's hindrance from a linux environment as they don't feel comfortable with the coding. So maybe Windows2 or whatever it may be called these days could definatly help with that sort of thing. The question is will it be as capable for all user purposes as an IBM compatible.

      [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    IMHO, 3 Jan 2006 @ 6:45am

    selling ice to eskimos

    people will buy anything with the right marketing and audience targeted correctly...would a 50-something grandmother buy a googlePC rather than a simple e-machine? i wouldn't think so...but would a starving college student/tech-school geek buy one? advertising...it's all in the advertising. google definitley has the brand marketing on their side already...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ben McNelly, 3 Jan 2006 @ 7:00am

    oh no...

    I have been waiting and still am skeptical, for "the" google OS.... But now can we expect it to come with AOL bundled!?!?!? Sooooo frustrating. I absalutley hate AOL... Dont know anyone who is even semi-computer litterate that doesen't.. And so all we can hope is google has not been corrupted.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Fragger, 3 Jan 2006 @ 9:17am

    No, not that!

    If Google teams up with WalMart, I will lose all respect for them and learn to live Google-free. Evil, soul-sucking WalMart...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jaluna, 3 Jan 2006 @ 10:45am

    All Java interface with Solaris OS 10 for amd64 un

    Forget about Linux...
    Java will be the interface with the end user
    and Sun Solaris 10 OS for amd64 will be the runtime foundation for that box.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    gaby de wilde, 5 Jan 2006 @ 8:58pm

    google hardware

    yesit will sell like hell! I've never seen it, I've never seen a walmart but.... yeah I want one!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Unique Valentine, 22 Oct 2006 @ 7:05am

    Google

    I think Google branded Linuxbased PC would sell much better that any other Linux brands. Linux once you get past the install stage, isn't terribly difficult to use, but the name Linux scares a lot of people.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]


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