A few years from now, open source pundits may consider February 2008 the tipping point for Linux laptops. Why is that? Glad you asked. The open source world is buzzing right now about Everex’s CloudBook, an “ultraportable” Linux laptop available from Wal-Mart and several leading Web sites. Officially, the tiny $399 laptop isn’t available until February 21. But it’s already generating big sales, according to several sources in the know. Simply put, CloudBook’s arrival is a defining moment — a critical milestone — for Linux on desktops and laptops.
Admittedly, we’re not talking about millions of new Linux customers here. Everex says it initially shipped roughly 20,000 notebooks to Wal-Mart, Newegg, TigerDirect and ZaReason. The computer has a 7-inch screen and runs a variant of Ubuntu Linux. ZaReason, one of the Web’s leading Everex resellers and Ubuntu promoters, says its initial CloudBook allotment is sold out.
No, The VAR Guy isn’t suggesting that Linux laptops will trample the Windows establishment anytime soon. But clearly, there’s a mainstream market niche — perhaps 1 percent to 3 percent of traditional PC users — who are ready to make the leap to mobile Linux PCs. That’s why companies like Dell continue to gradually expand their Ubuntu Linux offerings.
Moreover, this niche will grow as virtualization software moves into the mainstream. Consider these trends:
- Already, more than 650,000 customers use Parallels software to run Mac OS X and Windows on Apple hardware.
- Parallels is now working on Ubuntu support, and Sun recently acquired innotek, which makes virtualization software for Mac OS, Windows, Linux, Solaris and other platforms. Translation: Users will be able to mix-and-match Linux with Windows and Mac OS as easily as they move between Word and Excel.
- Other open source companies such as Novell are scouring the market for potential virtualization acquisitions, according to BusinessWeek.
- Microsoft is rethinking its Windows Vista marketing because … quite frankly … customers aren’t all that impressed with Vista.
Toss in Ubuntu’s growing popularity on desktops and laptops, and it appears as if Linux for PCs and laptops is finally ready to go mainstream. For more on Ubuntu and Linux going mainstream, check out The VAR Guy’s sister site, AllAboutUbuntu.com. Currently in beta, the site will gain considerable content over the next few weeks and daily updates will begin Monday, March 3, 2008.
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I’ve got a cloudbook. It’s not a big innovation, but I agree this is a defining moment for Linux. I never thought I’d see the day when I could walk into walmart and choose a non-windows computer. freedom has a price. but in this case, the price ($399) is fantastic.
Not to mention that ASUS has already sold more than 300,000 of their own ultra-mobile laptop, the EeePC, since last October. They have already proven that there’s a market for ultra-mobile laptops running Linux and they’re busy working Gen 2 of the device.
Give me a solid laptop with OLED/PLED monitor, solid-state HD, low-power processor (i.e. low heat and maybe even no need for fan), well built ergonomics, etc. and I am sold.
Probably won’t happen for a while, and won’t be cheap at first. But I am sure it will happen at some point.
While I’m not in the market for one at the moment, I’ll likely swing by the local Wal-mart just to take a peek at the Cloudbook, assuming that they have a display model of it. With the popularity of the gOS PC, and the ASUS EEE, I’m not sure they’ll take the time to display it. I will be more excited when a system with a 10″ screen is released, then I’ll be more apt to plunk down $400-$500.
I concur with Eric, the less moving parts the better. (Been having fan troubles with my computers lately)
[...] is the ultra-portable market at the sub $500 price point. I am referring to the Asus eee PC, the Everex CloudBook, and the OLPC. These machines, small and relatively inexpensive, all run [...]
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A few months ago, I bought a “year-end closeout” HP Pavilion (1G, 160G HD, DVD-RW, integrated webcam etc… for less than $500.
Although it doesn’t qualify as an “ultralight ultraportable”, it was cheap, and I was able to install Ubuntu on it without any heartburn.
Everything works perfectly — graphics with compiz/fusion, wireless, integrated web-cam…, the whole 9 yards. No post-install configuration needed. The system is solid, reliable, and fully functional (albeit with an occasional problem now and then playing embedded proprietary video media on certain web-sites).
When you get into the sub-500-dollar range, Vista (even an OEM license) is a big chunk of the purchase price. For OEM’s looking to sell cheaper machines (while suffering thinner profit margins), Linux will allow them to keep a little more of their razor-thin profit for themselves rather than send most of it to Redmond.
No doubt this is a defining time for Linux and Laptops! I’m sitting here in the PA mountains typing on a Compaq Presario 750 running Linux Mint. I’m using a Franklin CDU-680 EV-DO card I purchased through Millenicom.
Being the good husband that I am I’ll check at Walmart when I get back to town and pick one up to take back home with me for my wife..if they have one..
The size is just right for her, then I can modernize the wireless setup at home..put some monitors on the tree line..yea, I might even get lucky..
Absolutely crazy. I bought the first Everex GPC last year and while it’s not a powerhouse, I have to admit that the quality is pretty darn good. My only beef is that I wish Everex would have gone with a real flavor of Ubuntu.
I was waiting in line for registration at MacWord, realized it was going to be an hour so walked into the computer store across the street. Ended up walking out with an eeePC! The little devil is addictive – I take it with me when I do my daily walk and often end up in “SaaS only” work mode at the local internet cafe. I would like to see a 10″ screen, and don’t think it’s going to replace my MacBook Pro anytime soon. But the arrival of these low cost Linux machines is great news, if for no other reason than the competitive heat it puts under Redmond! I keep thinking I should give this eeePC to my son, but I’m hooked on it:)
Linux notebooks for the first time ever are the 3 topsellers at Amazon Germany. And among the top 5 notebooks, 4 come with Linux. What a difference a year can make…
http://vale.homelinux.net/wordpress/?p=231
How much do you want for it