Slashdot Mirror


No Linux IdeaPad For Lenovo's US Customers

narramissic writes "When Lenovo's new IdeaPad 'S' series netbooks hit stores in October, U.S. buyers will only be given one option: Windows XP on the IdeaPad S10 (making it not so much a series as a single offering). Meanwhile, people in most markets Lenovo serves, including Singapore, China and the U.K., will be offered both of the company's new IdeaPad netbooks (the S10, which has 10.2-inch screen, and the S9, which has an 8.9-inch screen), and the choice of either Microsoft Windows XP or a Linux OS. Before you start feeling too sorry for yourself, consider the price tag: the S10 will sell for £319 (US$629) in the U.K., but in the U.S. the starting price is $399." Liliputing (a cool site for anyone interested in sub-notebook computing) has posted a few bits on the IdeaPad, including some short videos.

14 of 188 comments (clear)

  1. XP by porcupine8 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Reading through the summary, at first I thought that the fact that it was only available with XP was supposed to be a good thing. Then I got further and realized it was being compared to XP + Linux, not XP + Vista.

    --
    Warning: Apple/Nintendo fangirl. Likes her electronics cute & cuddly. May be rabid.
    1. Re:XP by pheared · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually it seems that they think the UK consumers are stupid, given the price hike they are imposing.

    2. Re:XP by sayfawa · · Score: 3, Insightful

      People in countries with higher wages pay more for products. Who would've thought? Maybe that price comparison should factor in the two countries' average incomes.

      In other news, rice costs more here than in India. They must think we're stupid.

      --
      Free the Quark 3 from asymptotic confinement! Bring your charm! Don't get down! All colours and flavours welcome!
    3. Re:XP by 1u3hr · · Score: 3, Informative
      People in countries with higher wages pay more for products. Who would've thought? Maybe that price comparison should factor in the two countries' average incomes. In other news, rice costs more here than in India. They must think we're stupid.

      Yes, you may be rich, but you are stupid. (And the dipshits that modded you up even more so.) Many hi-tech goods are much cheaper in the US than in most third-world countries. It's about markets, competition, trade barriers, monopolies. Businesses don't calculate what would be a "fair" price related to wages, they just charge what the market will bear.

  2. not linux by larry+bagina · · Score: 4, Funny

    it's "Linpus Linux Lite". Based on the name alone, I say good riddance.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    1. Re:not linux by Joe+Jay+Bee · · Score: 3, Funny

      Pretty shit name. Pretty much the only worse name for a distro I can think of would be "Smegmux", which is horrific - except for the fact that Linpus is real.

  3. Black market by Chris+Pimlott · · Score: 5, Funny

    I foresee a black market in Linux system restore discs...

  4. UK getting charged more? There's a shocker... by Channard · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Actually, we usually get screwed more on the price. More often than not, UK folks end up paying in pounds what US folks pay in dollars.

  5. Re:US Europe price differential .. by xaxa · · Score: 5, Informative

    - we're willing to pay more (i.e. we value stuff more)
    - more regulations (apparently)
    - tax included in the price (17.5% for the UK price)
    - company has to pay recycling charge (WEEE)
    - longer warrenties (by law)

    At least, that's what /. came up with last week :-)

  6. It *is* Linux by Vinegar+Joe · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Linpus distro has been around for more than 10 years. I ran it when I was in Taiwan. You can get the install dvd or live cd here: ftp://ftp.linpus.com/dists/LL96/iso/

    --
    "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
    1. Re:It *is* Linux by twistedemotions · · Score: 5, Funny

      Agreed. I can see it now: Open Sores Linpus

  7. No clit?! by sznupi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Ehhh...Lenovo had a chance of replacing ridiculously small touchpads found in all netbooks with a trackpoint, ending up with THE best netbook on the market.

    Instead...they're only average/good... :/

    --
    One that hath name thou can not otter
  8. Re:Not just US and Lenovo by kramulous · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Here in Aus, I noticed that just recently, the sub-notebooks for sale in the general electrical shops have had linux removed and now you can only see XP. This has happened in the last couple of months. I'll go with plot.

    --
    .
  9. Re:US Europe price differential .. by cerberusss · · Score: 3, Funny

    in the US you often get single fee for continental US, but here you get single fee for ... Belgium or The Netherlands!

    Of course it's a single fee for Belgium and The Netherlands. Belgium is a province of The Netherlands.
     
    On the other hand, I had expected a single fee for Germany and the two above, since The Netherlands is
    one of Germany's Bundeslander.

    --
    8 of 13 people found this answer helpful. Did you?