assault in the form of Windows 8.1 with Bing powered hardware. Also known as Bingbooks, by some. However, there is talk that brand vendors are now developing even more inexpensive Chromebooks. That, while the Chromebook business is thriving in both the education and business sectors. Cause for concern for Microsoft, surely, and they will have to respond. Anyway, according to reports, Lenovo is going all in and the company is ready to make these devices even cheaper than they are. Two new models are in line for debut in the coming months, and both are said to be based on the low-cost Rockchip architecture. This is a budget SoC, with budget performance, but apparently people are into it. And so are companies, for that matter. ASUS, for instance, is working on a highly affordable Chromebook, that is to be priced at $149. The device will feature an 11.6-inch screen, while taking advantage of a Rockchip RK3188 processor. That should put the device a solid 25% more affordable than the Acer C720 model, for instance. Who’d have thought laptops would, one day, hit these price points? But here we are. And although Microsoft seems to have done well to launch $199 solutions, the company would want to match this highly cheap pricing strategy that Chromebooks seem to on for.]]>
All Comments
Microsoft could undercut this price, and still turn a profit, if they’ve got the vision to… A device with internals like the HP Stream 7 tablet (Intel Atom processor, 1 or 2 GB of RAM, eMMC stroage instead of an SSD), but in a notebook form factor could be sold for $99-$139 and wipe the floor with these low-end Chromebooks…
That’s one way to do it.
And I think Microsoft will, they’ve been pushed to the wall. Devices this cheap don’t offer a desirable computing experience, but they have their uses. And if they can work out a form factor for these affordable Windows tablets, they can.
The only major issue is the screen size, as the jump to an 11 inch display will cost more coins. But a $125 Windows laptop will take the fight to these Chromebooks.
I have a Chromebook at my job and I am NOT impressed with its capabilities(or lack of). I would much rather have a full running OS.
I’m yet to meet a satisfied buyer, myself. They’re okay devices for organizations and institutes and all that, but they are very limited devices, as you said.
Thanks for the comment, though. Keep them coming!