The gPC, the computer system with the Google focused gOS operating system that went on sale November 1 at Walmart for $200, has sold out in less than 2 weeks*.
The minimum spec PC has received positive reviews from Walmart customers (here) with plenty of 5 star ratings.
As we noted in our review of gOS November 4, the system may well be a sign of things to come. Rather than offer a desktop app focused OS like Windows, the Ubuntu derivative focuses on a range of Google apps that are accessed by dock based short cuts and presented in Firefox.
At least one punter noted on the Walmart page that the system can be used to run Windows, although he’d be keen running Vista with 512mb of ram. The specs would support XP, although I wouldn’t think many people would buy a system such as this (particularly people who buy computers at Walmart) only to swipe the hard drive and install a copy of Windows. The more likely scenario is that at $200 the computer hits an impulse buying sweet spot; consider that a couple of hundred for many people isn’t a huge ask in an age where computer games cost $100 and where products from Microsoft (such as Office) cost more again. Given the sales success of the gPC expect to see more startups and companies operating in this space. I’d even go as far as suggesting that maybe, after years of promise, Linux desktops might now be poised to go mainstream.
*sold out in Walmarts warehouse, the PC may still be available in some stores
(via Slashdot)
No where in this article is it listed who actually _manufactures_ the PC. It’s made by a company called Everex (www.everex.com) who shares their slogan with Google’s gOS’s. It’s actually a pretty neat system, and for $200, I’d quickly recommended it as a starter or budget system for the causual net surfer/word processor.
Fernando
apologies, our focus naturally is on the Google apps side, but perhaps should have included it.
I’m curious what “sold out” really means. They could have been anticipating a very weak response and supply was really low. Any clue as to how many units they moved?
If you ask Everex, the manufacturer, the “g” in gPC and gOS stands for “green” not “google”. I don’t believe Everex has any official partnership or ties with google relating to this product.
People may also just like a $200 PC, so long as it’s halfway workable. Maybe they’re going just for the Google, but I have my doubts. I think, rather, they are just not averse to other OS anymore. Like the Eee PC, like a lot of machines out there.
As for Windows, no sweat at all– get a hold of the lovely eXperience TinyXP Beast Edition, and 512MB is plenty. Enjoy.
All the reviews on the Wal-Mart site so far seem to be from users that knew exactly what they were purchasing: A bare-bones Linux box. Thus, they knew where to look for add-ons and the like. It seems that the early adopters where tech savvy and simply curious. I’d like to see the reviews from truely average users, and their reaction to not being able to run a Mircosoft game on these boxes, or hitting snags trying to play online games on Yahoo.
Is no fair, customers in the richest country in the world always get the cheapest products.
I agree with Fernando – the only people that have probably heard of this PC are those that read TechCrunch or Wired. Point is, I doubt there are too many “average” users that are shopping WalMart, see this PC and decide they are going to buy it. I understand there are Google web app icons on there, but what else does it have? Is it simple to install other applications? How do I sync my iPod? What happens when I plug in my digital camera? These are things that average users are going to have to figure out when they get home.
Melo
there was a iPod centered music app in the standard install, but referring to 3, sure, it might be supply related, but certainly anything selling out in 2 weeks is a positive. I also don’t see TC readers being huge buy PC’s at Walmart types. In the Valley at least I’d suggest many of our readers would shop at Fry’s.
The “g” and blatant tie-ins with Google are deceptive marketing, since this is not an official Google product.
Google doesn’t own the freakin letter “g”.
How many systems were sold?
What is that number in percent of the overall US desktop PC market?
Discount stores such as Walmart are famous for having insufficient supply of goods they are subsidizing to get buyers into their store…
The consumer PC is devolving into a de-facto life support system for a browser. This is the future of the home computer.
Blah, blah, gamers. bah blah home office, yes. I am talking about the kitchen compute, the kids computer, grandma’s computer. At $200, put one in every room.
This is funny. You are basically buying a computer that has Firefox installed. All the “Apps” at least the main ones simply open Firefox and navigate to a web page.
These people are going to be pissed when they get home with their computer and realize that it cannot be used with all their games, digital camera software, ect.
By the way: using a digital camera on Ubuntu is easy: plug it in, download your pictures to your gnome or kde app (http://f-spot.org/ or http://www.digikam.org/) which is already installed by default. you dont need some other software or driver.
By the way, Google allowed it’s name to be used in developing this OS, but they did not develop it.
The “G” in gOS stands for “green.”
There were 10,000 units available. Not sure if they were distributed to Wal-mart’s 4000 stores or not, but those are the stats I saw online earlier today.
My parents (in their late 50’s) would’ve switched to Linux even last year, but my dad insists on using Quickbooks. And a dual boot system would just be confusing to them.
Some software companies are stepping up in providing Linux versions of their software. But, not Intuit or Adobe. Which, I think, if they provided those alternatives, MANY people would make the Linux switch.
As for gaming, I have dual boot for that myself.
10,000 units it’s not much of a big number to sell out. But this pc does sound interesting and if they keep doing a low number of supplies it should be a good business.
Where the hell do you buy computer games? I’ve never paid over $50 dollars for a computer game in my life, including new releases. I mean, nice job trying to make a point but you may be better off compare it to the price Halo, where tons of suckers paid over 100 bucks for a average game with a stupid plastic helmet you can’t even wear.
What NEEDS to happen is a change in the gaming market. If games would be designed to boot from the DVD, then the OS installed becomes irrelevant. This would given the consumer the freedom to choose Linux, Apple, or windows as their primary work environment and still play any game they want. If the bootable game DVD also included a lightweight (Webkit) browser (and maybe an IMAP client) I could see a lot of consumers go weeks or months without haven’t to boot into their primary OS.
Of course this would require game developers to stop accepting the Microsoft “handouts” (DirectX, etc.) that are intended to lock consumers into the windows market.
Would like to test it out with the stripped down version of XP on there. Might be nice for the kids to use or the parents.
@Blake Brannon:
The Linux digital photography experience is better than most windows experiences. Most consumers don’t spring for Photoshop or Lightroom. So, what they get is a sub-marginal experience filled with bugs, crashes, 30 day trial expirations, and nagging to buy more more more. On Linux, there are many different free options for digital photography and most of them smoke any non-pro application. They are in constant development by passionate users of the software and are getting better every week.
Apple’s growth in the Consumer PC market can be summed up in one word, “iLife”. If you think that lack of windows is going to disappoint shutter-bugs, you should spend an hour or two in an Apple store near the iMacs. Watch the windows users come in, play with iPhoto and iMovie, and then crap their pants.
I’d have to agree with Blake that Google may have picked the wrong channel. The price point matches WalMart, however the customer and sales staff may not be able to understand what the stripped down PC can’t do.
The market may still not be ready for the net pc. In fact, this PC may be the wrong form factor since consumers are more focused on mobility (laptops). Google should focus on its new phone and seek other means of speeding the adoption of its apps.
sold out how?
What I think is even more interesting is that for only $298.00 “98.00″ more you can get the next level up gOS pc. Which actually might not be half bad. Link and specs below.
Specs :
# 1.5 GHz Via Technologies C7-D processor
# 1 GB of DDR2 system memory >expandable to 2 GB
# 80 GB hard disk drive
# DVD-ROM/CD-RW combination drive
# 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
# Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic Edition
Link : http://www.walm...duct_id=7754613
anyone knows how many are already returned because they expected a system windows could run on ?
Reply to #11: Google is most certainly aware of gOS and the Everex gPC. They have signed agreements with Everex for the use of their products on the machine and have been aware of every step in the developement. It is hardly deceptive advertising. Reply to #6: While not a top end system, it is not a Bare Bones Linux box, but a very well loaded Linux distro with access to thousand of additional software packages. I consider myself and my daughter to be average users and this OS is as simple to learn as they come for the basics. I’m sure Wal-mart did understock this machine not realizing the demand would be so high. It actually is a great little system and may well signal real trouble for MS. The operating system is also free(as in N0 $). Linux systems are every bit as easy to learn and use as Windows now, and way safer on the net. I don’t have to wonder what is so great, I switched to Linux 3 years ago.
This would appear to be back in stock – on the walmart website.
The comments above about what happens when the ignorant consumer tries cameras, ipods etc indicates a lack of experience of Linux – the posters seem to think themselves tech savvy – maybe they should try thinking outside the Windows box?
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