Demand for sub £100 PC?

[Glaucus]

Which could all be added as upgrades

Don't you think there are a lot of people wanting to replace their old worn out base unit with a new one?

Cheap base units are allready available around that price range and they don't sale well.
The £250-300 system sale better as they have the monitors and everything else.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

So when the customer opens the box and turns it on, it will boot into something that looks very much like windows, has software that looks very much like Microsoft Office, and can connect to a dhcp router, or use wireless and get onto the Internet in much the same way as if they were using windows.

Also known as a Macintosh

Tin. Worms. Open.

 

[AdladUK]

The problem £100 is a false economy in many ways. Once it gets reviewed in a PC Mag it'd likely be slated for non-upgradability least to say the build quality issues. And even IF you managed to procude something near decent, where's your profit margin!?

And things have changed massively over the last 5 years. If you could do this 5 years ago you'd be minted (my first proper machine was a P133 for around 850, the only machine (base unit only) for £100 was a 386), nowadays relatively the costs of PC's have fallen to a level that £100 PC's are pointless in UK.

People are spending over £100 on IPODS! let alone computers.

Even the most hard up people I know still want a TFT monitor when they're looking for a PC. Even second hand I find it hard to source 15" SECOND HAND TFT's for under £35. Add £18 for case, keyboard, mouse and speakers you're left with £48 for components.

"puts dragon's den hat on" it's not a business my friend. Maybe you should think about joining the company that makes the $100 (well at the moment over that) laptop for DEVELOPING countries?!

Well thanks for your input

A £99 brand new PC 5 years ago would have been pretty much impossible. In fact only recently have prices decreased enough to make this viable.

I would offer TFT monitors as optional upgrades (a lot of people already have a monitor anyway) for around £60. Yes that would be a basic 14 or 15" one, but it would do the job, and look nice too.

Yes people spend £100 on iPods, but I'm not really sure how that related to low cost PCs. It's a bit like saying people spend £1000 on first class British Airways tickets, therefore easyJet are not a business and will go bankrupt

 

[malfunkshun]

No matter how user friendly Linux is becoming, as things stand your average consumer would first assume that a PC (even just the tower) would be ~£300, then they would see no Windows and not bother.
It isnt that they can or cannot use Linux, it is that Windows is expected. Unfortunately.
Then there are those who would be happy with a linux machine, but would almost certainly know enough about computers to know that a £100 PC doesnt meet their requirements.

 

[AdladUK]

Cheap base units are allready available around that price range and they don't sale well.
The £250-300 system sale better as they have the monitors and everything else.

Not really sure what you're basing that on, but okay.

It's absolutely pointless me starting to sell £250-£300 full systems, as there are more than enough people already doing this. In that price bracket you're also competing with the likes of Dell, which is not something you want to do be doing

 

[DAVEM]

Well thanks for your input

A £99 brand new PC 5 years ago would have been pretty much impossible. In fact only recently have prices decreased enough to make this viable.

I would offer TFT monitors as optional upgrades (a lot of people already have a monitor anyway) for around £60. Yes that would be a basic 14 or 15" one, but it would do the job, and look nice too.

Yes people spend £100 on iPods, but I'm not really sure how that related to low cost PCs. It's a bit like saying people spend £1000 on first class British Airways tickets, therefore easyJet are not a business and will go bankrupt

Ipods are common products that many of us own, first class BA tickets are not. Even low income families have Xboxes etc... your market doesn't really exist. It does, perhaps, in Russia and certain EE countries but in the UK? I doubt it.

If you dont include a monitor in the £100 it's not a £100 PC IMO.

Davem

 

[AdladUK]

No matter how user friendly Linux is becoming, as things stand your average consumer would first assume that a PC (even just the tower) would be ~£300, then they would see no Windows and not bother.
It isnt that they can or cannot use Linux, it is that Windows is expected. Unfortunately.
Then there are those who would be happy with a linux machine, but would almost certainly know enough about computers to know that a £100 PC doesnt meet their requirements.

Is that why Dell have just started offering Linux on all their PCs, and have so far received an extremely positive response?

 

[AdladUK]

Ipods are common products that many of us own, first class BA tickets are not. Even low income families have Xboxes etc... your market doesn't really exist. It does, perhaps, in Russia and certain EE countries but in the UK? I doubt it.

If you dont include a monitor in the £100 it's not a £100 PC IMO.

Davem

So there aren't a load of people who want to upgrade an old system but don't have a lot of spare cash?

There aren't a load of people who want to buy their son/daughter their first PC to mess around on?

 

[malfunkshun]

Is that Dell have just started offering Linux on all their PCs, and have so far received an extremely positive response...

I bet less than 5% is from novices. Indeed I would say a large proportion of that are being bought as business machines.
Additionally, there would be little point in a parent buying one for their kids since M$ software is used in schools (solely in my area).

Another thing, whats the legallity of offering Linux distro's on machines built for trade? There is surely some sort of license ?

 

[Glaucus]

So there aren't a load of people who want to upgrade an old system but don't have a lot of spare cash?

There aren't a load of people who want to buy their son/daughter their first PC to mess around on?

And none of them will be fore linux n00bs. They'll be fore people who know what they are doing or have a windows cd they will install when it arrives.

You can try selling a £100 base unit, but there's already plenty of them around and they don't appear to sale well. As there is no target audience.

A cheap pc isn't good for much. Apart form office and most bussiness people would get a laptop, Or a computer with windows on it, as that's what they use for work.

A £100 computer will also be rubbish at media and most people with gadgets will have an x-box or ps3.

Whos your target audience?

 

[AdladUK]

I bet less than 5% is from novices. Indeed I would say a large proportion of that are being bought as business machines.
Additionally, there would be little point in a parent buying one for their kids since M$ software is used in schools (solely in my area)

hehe, I love how people just make up random % facts

If you'd used the latest (good) version of Linux you'd know there's very little difference to Windows... In fact, some would say it's easier (and certainly more reliable) for doing the basic tasks, which is exactly what this sort of PC would be used for.

And if the buyer totally hated it, they could always install Windows on their machine. Or we could do it for them (for a small additional fee).

Can't see why that's such a problem

 

[DAVEM]

So there aren't a load of people who want to upgrade an old system but don't have a lot of spare cash?

There aren't a load of people who want to buy their son/daughter their first PC to mess around on?

Yes but if they spend over £100 on an Ipod they're likely to spend over that on a PC to allow them to explore the internet, add learning software, buy something that won't need replacing in 6 months, buy something they know is a quality branded product. Lets be fair if you spend that much on an Ipod and or an Xbox or Sky etc... you're not going to spend £100 on a defuct PC?

 

[Glaucus]

If you'd used the latest (good) version of Linux you'd know there's very little difference to Windows... In fact, some would say it's easier (and certainly more reliable) for doing the basic tasks, which is exactly what this sort of PC would be used for.

utter rubbish. it;'s still hard to configure, drivers are still hard to get for certain hardware especially wireless cards. It doesn't have office on it, which is what people are used to. The pure fact it isn't set up like windows. Means it's far more complicated for people to use.

for a £100 your markets are going to be computer illiterate people, which means they'll need a complete system with windows on it. even then I can't see who your exact target is going to be.

 

[malfunkshun]

hehe, I love how people just make up random % facts

If you'd used the latest (good) version of Linux you'd know there's very little difference to Windows... In fact, some would say it's easier (and certainly more reliable) for doing the basic tasks, which is exactly what this sort of PC would be used for.

And if the buyer totally hated it, they could always install Windows on their machine. Or we could do it for them (for a small additional fee).

Can't see why that's such a problem

Read it again, I said that I bet meaning this is my estimate, no fact was implied. Either way, even if there was demand, I doubt it is possible for a start-up (as opposed to an up-start, which would be rude but not inaccurate ) could profit from making systems for £99.

 

[DAVEM]

utter rubbish. it;'s still hard to configure, drivers are still hard to get for certain hardware especially wireless cards. It doesn't have office on it, which is what people are used to. The pure fact it isn't set up like windows. Means it's far more complicated for people to use.

for a £100 your markets are going to be computer illiterate people, which means they'll need a complete system with windows on it. even then I can't see who your exact target is going to be.

That's very true. Ubuntu is probably the best of the "easy to use" variants of Linux. And it can still be a complete nightmare. I tried SUSE (which I kept for a month) after Ubuntu, and neither were compatible will the majourity of software I use. People say Linux is now a mature OS, they lie!

 

[AdladUK]

And none of them will be fore linux n00bs. They'll be fore people who know what they are doing or have a windows cd they will install when it arrives.

You'd get your £99 PC. Take it out the box. Switch it on. And it would work. All installed, all working, with no problem. You'd also receive a nice guide on how to do all the usual tasks that you would on Windows.

You can try selling a £100 base unit, but there's already plenty of them around and they don't appear to sale well. As there is no target audience.

Plenty of people selling £100 base units? Where exactly? I've looked hard and found no one even close. Please email me at least 1 link! [email protected]

A cheap pc isn't good for much. Apart form office and most bussiness people would get a laptop, Or a computer with windows on it, as that's what they use for work.

That depends what sort of user you are. I can think of 5 things a £99 PC would be fine at...

1. Browsing the internet (website/email)
2. Downloading/playing music
3. Office Suite usage (word documents/spreadsheets)
4. Digital photography (modifying/scanning/printing)
5. VoIP hub/backup folding machine

Whos your target audience?

Well for one parents who want to get their children their first PC, but don't want to spend a fortune one something

 

[AdladUK]

utter rubbish. it;'s still hard to configure, drivers are still hard to get for certain hardware especially wireless cards. It doesn't have office on it, which is what people are used to. The pure fact it isn't set up like windows. Means it's far more complicated for people to use.

for a £100 your markets are going to be computer illiterate people, which means they'll need a complete system with windows on it. even then I can't see who your exact target is going to be.

Have you ever used OpenOffice? It's basically the exact same as Microsoft Office

People would easily adapt. Just like they did going from IE to Firefox

 

[DAVEM]

Well for one parents who want to get their children their first PC, but don't want to spend a fortune one something

What??? You've not really answered my point. They buy their kids PSP's, Ipods, Mobiles. And yet NOOO they won't pay £250 for a base unit?

 

[AdladUK]

Either way, even if there was demand, I doubt it is possible for a start-up (as opposed to an up-start, which would be rude but not inaccurate ) could profit from making systems for £99.

You doubt wrong then

 

[Glaucus]

get computer shopper, loads of small adverts in the back offering ~100 base units.

Parents? no they would need keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers. That's going to cost over £200. your then firmly in other people territory. By almeans try, but you asked for our opinions..

Have you ever used OpenOffice? It's basically the exact same as Microsoft Office

People would easily adapt. Just like they did going from IE to Firefox

\Think as a computer n00b. No they wont, Not even open office is the same as MS word. Most people, use there computers at work and that's it, they don't care how it works. they don't want to learn how to do something again. they just want to come home, sit down and use something there happy with.