Acer sees Linux as key to low-cost laptops

By Dan Nystedt, IDG News Service, 06/06/08

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Acer, the world's third-largest PC maker, believes that Linux software is a key to the low-cost laptop computer movement and hopes to create a community around the devices, a top executive said.

Several of the new low-cost laptops announced recently come either with Microsoft Windows XP or with a Linux OS, and other Linux programs. Acer, for example, developed One Page, a homepage for the laptop that pops up before the OS loads so people can start navigating through their computer more quickly. One Page offers quick access to music, messaging software, games, the Internet, and more.

"We really need to continue our journey on Linux," said Jim Wong, senior corporate vice president at Acer, in an interview. "We can develop it more and we will try to develop alliances with more partners. Linux is a lonely word. We need to try to create a community," he added.

The call to develop a Linux community around low-cost laptops appears to be a swipe at Microsoft.

The Linux push in low-cost laptops highlights the battles PC makers face with Microsoft to persuade it to keep supporting Windows XP, an OS the software giant would like to retire in favor of Windows Vista. Vista is a problem because it requires more expensive components than XP, which would raise the price of a low-cost laptop.

Linux is cheaper for several reasons, including easy hardware requirements and there is no license fee paid for the OS. Microsoft doesn't like to lose ground to any software rival, and has worked hard to make XP as available as possible, even tweaking the OS to run on the One Laptop Per Child Foundation's XO laptop. Despite the efforts, an XP license still makes such laptops more expensive than Linux models. In addition, some companies have complained about Microsoft rules requiring them to use XP only in notebooks that fit certain requirements, such as limiting the biggest screen size to 10 inches and not allowing touchscreens.

Acer on Tuesday launched its first ever mini-notebook for the low-cost space, the Aspire one. The US$399 to $499 mini-laptop is aimed at people who want an inexpensive, convenient mobile device they can take anywhere and use to surf the Internet wirelessly.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.

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