Still angling to steal market share from Microsoft, Lindows.com Inc. Monday
lured a San Diego system builder and retailer to sell PCs powered by the
Lindows operating system in its stores.
Datel Systems Inc., which also sells products by Microsoft , Intel
and IBM
, will sell the LindowsOS PCs with 10 free software
applications for a base price of $299. There are pre-installed apps, too,
including an e-mail program, word processor, Web browser/file manager,
address book, calculator, CD player, MP3 player, Microsoft PowerPoint
Viewer, Microsoft Word Viewer, and Microsoft Excel viewer.
Datel computer buyers will also have access to the Click-N-Run Warehouse that
allows users to run almost 1,700 applications in the Lindows.com Warehouse
for an additional $99. Lindows, as is its custom and marketing strategy, is
positioning this offer as a steal over the rival Microsoft Office suite,
which can cost $400. Moreover, it comes equipped with Sun Microsystems’
StarOffice e-mail suite. Simply, Lindows is trying to
tempt consumers with a fully functional PC for a total of $400.
In a brazen touting of its products, Lindows.com said: “The beauty of the
Click-N-Run Warehouse is that users do not pay for each application they
download. Instead, they enjoy access to hundreds of applications for one $99
dollar price. Computer users at any skill level will find the programs to be
diverse and easy to use.”
“Last weekend, when hosting the show, a mere mention of LindowsOS had our
board lighting up with calls from San Diegans wanting to know more about
choice on the desktop,” said Larry Piland, vice president of Datel and host
of Computer Talk Live on 760 KFMB.
Lindows.com representatives will be in Datel stores to demonstrate LindowsOS
and the Click-N-Run Warehouse and field questions on September 14th, 21st
and 28th.
While Lindows.com will still offer some Windows apps on LindowsOS, the
company has ceased to make this a priority, according to Lindows.com
officials. Instead, the firm will focus on making Linux-based applications
more user-friendly.
Datel is the second retailer to jump aboard the LindowsOS ship. Giant
Wal-Mart also
sells Lindows-powered PCs made by Microtel on its Web site.
