MSI Wind coming to retailer near you; Linux returns 4 times higher than XP
Laptop Magazine interviewed one of the top US executives for MSI about what is in store for the popular Wind netbook line. According to Andy Tung, Director of US Sales for MSI, the Wind U100 should soon be available in a "major retailer" in the US. The model will have a 3-cell battery and Windows XP and will be priced at $399. Tung wouldn’t disclose which retailer will be carrying the Wind in the stores.
Less surprisingly, Tung also told Laptop that their experience shows that netbooks with Linux are returned four times more often than those with Windows XP. This would indicate what others have already noted, many consumers pick up the cheaper systems and then realize that the Linux system is not what they are used to so they return it. If you recall Walmart discontinued the sale of the Linux-based gPC in stores earlier this year, probably for the same reason. We’ve said it here on jkOnTheRun that one of the reasons netbooks are gaining in popularity is the inclusion of Windows XP as that is what folks are familiar with using.
It’s great to see the Wind coming to retail, I expect sales will really explode when consumers can see these little jewels in the stores. You can’t really appreciate the benefits of a netbook without seeing one in person. Kevin loves his MSI Wind, I know that.
The major retailer could be Circuit City. I found an MSI listed last week at “coming soon”, but it has since disappeared.
I also saw a link on the CC site for the Lenovo S10. I wonder if they plan on carrying both?
=-= Hoot
I would be interested to go into Circuity City and try out one of these. I already have an EEE 1000h, but its always nice to be able to try out more than one.
Hope Micro Center gets it. They have a nice little collection of netbooks including Eee (a couple models), Aspire One, Sylvania.
i think i remember seeing the msi on circuit city too.
i also saw a “netbooks” category on bestbuy, which led to an “error” page that has also since disappeared.
nevermind, the “netbook” category is actually on bestbuy now. but no choices yet.
I bought a Linux one, but only because I have free Windows from MSDNAA.
I hate Suse anyway.