Microsoft to Offer Steep Discounts on WinXP for UMPCs

by atticus ~ May 20, 2008

To encourage PC makers to use Windows XP Home instead of Linux in the ultra low-cost PCs market, Microsoft is offering its operating system at US$26 for emerging markets and US$32 for developed markets. PC makers participating in its Market Development Agreement can receive an additional discount up to US$10.

To be eligible for the low prices, PC makers must limit the hardware capabilities of these ultra portables. Here’s a list of the limitations:

Screen sizes not bigger than 10.2″
Hard drives not bigger than 80Gb
No touch-screen PCs
Ram size not bigger than 1Gb
Single core processor not running faster than 1.0Ghz (allowance are given to VIA’s C7-M and Intel’s Atom N270 processors)

Microsoft’s reason for limiting the hardware is to prevent the UMPCs from cannibalizing the mainstream PCs market which are using Windows Vista. Whatever their reasons, some of the restrictions seem a little overboard. No touch screen? I thought it’s one of the most wanted feature in an UMPC. The restriction would also put majority of the Nanobooks ineligible for the discounts.

Source: PC World

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3 Responses to “Microsoft to Offer Steep Discounts on WinXP for UMPCs”

Steve 'Chippy' Paine Says:
May 20th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Its worth noting that Microsoft uses the term ULCPC. Traditional touchscreen UMPCs aren’t part of the plan for XP.
Steve
passer Says:
May 21st, 2008 at 3:31 am
A touch screen UMPC (ultra mobile PC) can be a ULCPC (ultra low-cost PC) right, as long as it fulfills the low-cost part? Or is there a precise definition of the term ULCPC which excludes touch screen PCs? Does this means vendors would stop fitting UMPCs with touch screens so that they can be eligible for the discounts?
atticus Says:
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:08 am
I should have sticked to the term ULCPC in the post. But I wouldn’t be editing the post in case the comments don’t make sense to readers.

According to Microsoft:

ULCPCs are a new and growing class of mobile computers designed for first-time PC buyers and customers interested in complementing their primary Windows-based PCs with companion devices with limited hardware capabilities. These machines vary, but they typically have smaller screen sizes and lower-powered processors than more expensive mobile PCs.

Since CLUMPC (Cheap Linux Ultra Mobile PC) is already a prevalent term, Microsoft might as well make it easier for consumers and call their new category CWUMPC (Cheap Windows Ultra Mobile PC).