Low Cost PC Makers Freaking Out as Windows 8 Nears Release

"its Developer Preview, Consumer Preview, and Release Preview builds have all seen a high number of downloads" ???

Available?

To whom?

Excellent article, Brink. Manufacturers of low-cost computers will need to raise their prices if they are gong to install touch screens. But I think they'll survive. Windows 7 was supposed to be touch screen friendly, and most users stuck with traditional screens.

Well, for 500 to 800 dollars, you can get an ultrabook without a touch screen. For maybe, 200 dollars extra, they might carry a touch screen. The great thing about the PC is that it comes down to the features YOU personally want and need to use.

Coke Robot said:

.The great thing about the PC is that it comes down to the features YOU personally want and need to use.

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Agree, I will use the extra $ 200 to purchase a SSD for my Windows 7 notebook....wait I already have an SSD in it, so no need for a new Laptop, I save even more, lol ( anyway I have a nice XPS 13 with a i7-2637M )

The reason why desktop users opted to NOT use touchscreens is because they are clumsy to use and UNPRODUCTIVE IN THE DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT, the fact is that using keyboard and mouse is much more efficient, logical, and practical, than smearing your fingers across a screen, it's just that simple, unfortunately MS must be listening too closely to these so called experts that think they know what the customer wants BETTER than the customer, and what's worse is you see this ridiculous trend in every business sector. We need to see LESS marketing and consulting and MORE interest in what the customer actually wants and will part with their money for.

I never understood why people would buy those expensive Ultrabooks. And I will probably not understand why anybody would want to have a laptop with a touchscreen,

That is different for a nifty 7" tablet that I can stick into the sidepocket of my jacket. Here a touchscreen makes sense. The bigger tablets are too bulky for what I wanted to use a tablet for - mobility.

Coke Robot said:

Well, for 500 to 800 dollars, you can get an ultrabook without a touch screen. For maybe, 200 dollars extra, they might carry a touch screen. The great thing about the PC is that it comes down to the features YOU personally want and need to use.

Click to expand...

Hi there
what about things like ACER Netbooks -- stick 4GB RAM in them and the whole kybosh STILL costs LESS than 300 USD.

Not sure what the problem is here with low cost PC makers -- obviously their business model is flawed if they get fazed out by W8. It boots quicker and uses less resources than W7 so what's the problem.

And who in their right mind would even consider a touch screen on a laptop. Just try enter data on an EXCEL spread sheet using any form of touch screen input. Forget it. !!

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

Not sure what the problem is here with low cost PC makers -- obviously their business model is flawed if they get fazed out by W8.
...
And who in their right mind would even consider a touch screen on a laptop.

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That's why they are "freaking out".
They can't afford to add a touch screen (for a touch screen OS).

Laptops are being replaced by tablets and by folding laptops. But when you add a touchscreen, the price goes up, plus the hardware has to be able to handle the touchscreen. That raises the price even more.

I've seen a six-year-old Toshiba touchscreen laptop that can be folded into a tablet PC. And back years away one product of NEC folded laptop also. But both ended up with no market.

Leave laptop as it is, and let touchscreen for tablet.

That sounds fair to me so far.

Kevin

whs said:

I never understood why people would buy those expensive Ultrabooks. .

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Price is not always a reason to purchase something; I have a Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook and my wife a Mac Air, and frankly I don't understand why someone will want an old style heavy laptop if they want a mobile solution if he have the budget for a ultrabook. Of course if you leave your laptop always at the same place, a 17" one is probably best.

I never did care about the price if it means I can have the features I want in something. Hell I have been waiting for touch screen books to become the norm.