Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you choose?

["Stephan Schaem" <tthai@mindspring.com>]

"Graham" <graham@aledrinker.co.uk> wrote in message 6172ee17.0107230812.10a8f714@posting.google.com">news:6172ee17.0107230812.10a8f714@posting.google.com...
> > I, not a company or else, can by a 700mhz AMD processor for 24$.
> > That doesn't seem 'far too expensive' to me. Those processor rocks!
>
> I would also say that this was a great processor for a device.
>
> > > As OS? (Linux is a dead giveaway, but there also other OS's out there)
> > Linux, why not. .. oh yea. You mentioned userfriendly. so thats a nono.
>
> Linux is a kernel. The "Gnome OS" and the "KDE OS" are not
> userfriendly enough! Get the Linux Kernel (or FreeBSD kernel, etc),
> get QT embedded or GTK/Framebuffer, and create a custom, Palm UI like,
> interface that is simple to use.
>
> > > Amount of memory? (RAM and ROM)
> > 256meg RAM. 8K EPROM
>
> 128Meg will be enough - $9 in bulk apparently. EPROM?
>
> > > Graphic and Sound?
> > Geforce2
>
> Waaaay too expensive for a $300 device, unless you were going to sell
> it for a $200 loss (XBox).
>
> > > Network capabilities? (internet capable)
> > 100BT
>
> Part of most integrated chipsets anyway.
>
> > > Plug in capabilities (remember you're making it as cheap as possible so
> > > modems, CD-Roms, HD's are all extras)
> > CDRW
>
> Not for a $300 device. Depending on the market for the device, either
> a DVD drive or a CD-ROM.
>
> > Take a look at the XBox.
>
> $500 of hardware sold at a $200 loss. With out-of-date processors
> donated for free by Intel. The chipset alone would cost $120+ (if a
> GeForce 2 MX enabled chipset sells for $90 [nForce], then a GeForce3.5
> enabled chipset will cost at least $30 more - more like $50 more).
> Motherboard is CPU, Northbridge, Southbridge, 4 USB ports, Ethernet,
> Modem, and IDE channel - very cut down to reduce costs.

The xbox cannot cost 500$ for MS to build... the lose probably include all the QA, R&D it took.
They probably spend <300$ to build the xbox... its cheap stuff when you build them in the millions.

You can find some decent complete motherboard retail single unit for <70$ (Thats with audio, 32meg video, the works)
in a retail package etc.. Those probably cost 40$ to build. (Its not geforce2 based, but  a Savage4  core.)

The nForce chipset in a year might cost <50$, and people will build <100$ MB using it... Anyway, I'm planning
on building a <500$ PC using this chipset when it comes out. So I'm sure a big manufacturer can build a PC
for 300$ mass produced.

Stephan