AMD Geode Internet Appliance

Justin Davidow writes "For a new twist on internet appliances, AMD is finally attempting to go mainstream with their mobile Geode processor, with the Personal Internet Communicator (PIC), a stand-alone device that allows users a striped down laptop/inflated PDA (without a screen included!) for internet surfing.
Expected retail price: $299USD." Be cool to play around with - I'd love to test it out.

Perpetual Payment Processing

[ivan256]

The PIC is a complete solution, supported through a local service provider

Look! It's got recurring revenue generation built in! Not only can you pay for it up front, but you can keep paying for it month after month; forever! ALl the while you'll be giving control of it over to your favorite ISP, who can reduce it's functionality at their whim, or upon lawsuit, whichever comes first.

Where do I sign up?

(Also: How long until Microchip [microchip.com] slaps them with a trademark suit [microchip.com]?)

Re:Perpetual Payment Processing

[Russ Nelson]

Don't think "hacker geek" as the market for this product. Think "person with a real life who just wants to USE their computer, not play with it."
-russ

no screen?

[cascino]

(without a screen included!)

Did I miss something? Do they expect people to just plug in to someone else's monitor whenever they want to use it?

$299?

[LTC_Kilgore]

I know there will be a flood of comments about how easily someone could build a computer for $3.57 using spare dishwasher parts, but all kidding aside, AMD might have priced this machine a bit too high for the intended market.

One can build a base model Dell desktop (running XP Home on a 2.4Ghz processor) for around $300 (less with rebates and special offers).

Considering this is running a neutered version of Windows and is designed to perform only the most basic tasks, I'm surpised it is priced so high.

Pass

[LoaTao]

$300 AND Windows® Powered Operating System? Hmmm. I can get a plain vanilla box for that these days with more power and options. Not as cute maybe, but more useful in the long run.

Mac Mini

[Anonymous Coward]

Spend an extra $100 and get a refurbed Mac Mini!

Full function machine few viruses(CURRENTLY)and a easy to use OS...

Great Entry Level PC!

[JoshDanziger]

Ok. Let's look at everything wrong with this product...

No monitor. How does a product designed for "first-time technology users" not include a monitor? What exactly are they expected to plug it in to? The typical first-time users do not have old CRT monitors sitting around, colecting dust like most /.ers.

Cheap, cheap disk. 10GB hard drive? TigerDirect.com advertises a 300GB SATA hard drive for $90. 10GB is pathetic.

Limited software. Ok. I've said this before.. The few reasons that I use windows are MS Office and the wealth of generally available software. This machine doesn't even come with Office and it doesn't even sound like it will let you install it! I bet FireFox is a no-no, too.

Overpriced. In the past, I've priced out $300-$400 systems with generous RAM & hard disk, a good Athlon XP processor, CD burner, etc with no monitor. Of course, that's sans OS and monitor. I wonder how much of that $300 goes to Microsoft for the Windows Operating System?

Although I am by no means a supporter of Linux on the desktop, I think that this is certainly a case where Linux and open source should have been used. As long as they aren't shipping with Office, why not use OpenOffice instead of "TextMaker"? What's the point of paying Microsoft for Licensing if you aren't going to give the customers any of the benefits of MS Office? They won't even have to deal with the fact that users are just used to Windows since these are targeted at "first-timers"

Just my 2 cents...

Re:$299?

[Knight Thrasher]

I agree with this point - an equally-priced Dell PC will include a monitor, no less.

I can see AMD's reasoning though - they have to push this to market and make whatever they can off it as quickly as possible - MIT is fast on the road to their $100 laptops [mit.edu] that include a screen and a hand-crank for cryin' out loud.

Heck, for an even smaller size, one could spend another $100 or so and get an Apple Mac Mini [apple.com], and a.) have better componants, and b.) not have to suffer the Windows. If you're not going to game, at least buy a nice Unix-based OS for stability.

I appluad AMD for the effort, but it's about 2 years too late. The niche in the market has major contenders in with better products, and some that will arrive soon that are even better than what's available, while AMD is just dragging in a low-end box.

It just doesn't look good...

[Fearan]

If they're trying to get into the Mac Mini market, they should really have put more effort into getting a device that looks better. The device sounds like a good concept, but who wants to put something that doesn't look great in their kitchen? On the other hand, the Mac Mini (although it's more expensive) seems like it received a lot more polishing on the outside. I know... it's an Appple product. But other companies should have caught on that good looking products are important if they want to reach a large market share for an electronic applicance?

Where's the Internet?

[Crazy Man on Fire]

So, according to the article:

With a simple "out of the box" installation and setup, the Personal Internet Communicator is designed to provide virtually instantaneous access to the power of the global Internet.

However, the hardware specs don't list any network interface:

• Compact, ergonomically designed system case with optional accent colors
• Unit dimensions: 5.5" wide x 8.5" deep x 2.5" high 3 lbs.
• AMD Geode(TM) GX processor
• 4 USB ports - support printers, Flash memory, disk drives, and network adapters
• 10GB 3.5" internal hard disk
• Stereo headphone/microphone jacks
• VGA port - supports resolutions up to 1600x1200 at 85 Hz
• Fanless, quiet operation

Am I missing something? What's going on here?! Are the low income (or whatever) people who are the target customers for this device supposed to already have a monitor and a USB network interface? WTF?!

Re:Perpetual Payment Processing

[object88]

And who in $#%^@#$^@@'s name came up with the name PIC ? PIC is a microcontroller, always has been and in the tech people's mind always will be :D.

You pointed out that it's not for techs, so what does it matter if the name already used by a technical product?

Re:It just doesn't look good...

[badmammajamma]

It wasn't designed to compete with the Mac Mini...it was designed before the Mac Mini was ever even announced. The device was designed to be used in developing nations that have very limited resources (especially power) and dirty environments. This device will draw a lot less power than a Mac Mini. I can assure you that the equadorians that will use this couldn't give a shit less how pretty your mac mini is. AMD originally never even intended to offer this to consumers in general. I'm not sure why they changed their minds but they made a deal with Radio Shack and there you have it.

So please stop with the Mac Mini comparisons. They are two entirely different products designed for entirely different purposes.

Re:Perpetual Payment Processing

[plover]

But you're still spending money on maintenance on things with a finite lifetime. For example, buying $360 worth of tires once every four years is an ongoing expense. Just because you might make it 5 years due to lower mileage doesn't change the equation, only the numbers.

You're mistakenly stating that just because you don't put $7.50 a month in the bank to cover future tires means you aren't incurring an expense by driving your vehicle. Using the vehicle incurs SOME expense; you're simply deferring the payment. And that's my point regarding the "subscription" for these PCs -- these systems WILL require maintenance upgrades. They'll require OS patches, application patches, failed hard drive replacements, chipsets that blow out because a kid poured milk in the vents, all that stuff.

When you run a business, you either plan for these things or you go out of business quickly. That means you estimate usage, you estimate ongoing costs, and you then charge a fee to cover your expected costs and turn a profit. If it's a car business, you charge per month (with penalties for excessive mileage.) If it's a computer business, you charge per month and hope like hell that your initial estimates will cover your costs and turn a profit.

Re:no screen?

[municio]

I think must people are not getting the point of the PIC.

Yes, for $299 it's an expensive PC. But the point is that it's not a PC. The PIC is a rugged internet appliance with some basic productivity tools. It's supposed to have no maintenance cost (the kind of appliance where you cannot delete the any system files by mistake or screw the internet configuration). The kind of appliance where you don't have to worry about virus (at least in theory) because you cannot install or modify executables.

If you know how to use a PC, you are not the target customer for the PIC. By contrast, if you don't know how to maintain your computer, you don't have the time/willingness to learn to do so and you don't have geek friends (or they no longer take your calls), the PIC is a very good choice for you.

For my in-laws, this system is more valuable than a super cool laptop, because it will keep working longer (and they won't need to call me).