| u ever wondered how the prices of those | | | | reason why Bill Gates won't dare to even think of |
| mini-notebooks a.k.a. netbooks have been brought to | | | | doing that - because the next time they lose the |
| unimaginably low levels? Yes, imagine getting a | | | | market share, they might not be able to regain it |
| mini-me version of a laptop for only $200. Now, that's | | | | once more. How so? Because there's one equally big |
| only the retail price. How much more if you get them | | | | name that has entered into the picture by way of |
| at wholesale laptop prices? | | | | Linux - Google. The dominant player in the Web has |
| The reason for this phenomenon lies in the operating | | | | slowly entered the hot new market of netbooks |
| system. The first releases of those mini-laptops had | | | | through a Linux-based operating system called |
| Linux pre-installed in them. Since the makers didn't | | | | Android. It's practically the same operating system |
| have to pay for license fees, they were able to chop | | | | that's powering the highly acclaimed G1 or Google |
| off what could have easily been a hundred dollars. | | | | Phone. |
| That's not even counting pre-installed MS Office and | | | | With Google in the picture, Microsoft would be |
| a few others. With them, these devices would have | | | | hard-pressed into maintaining the prices it has allowed |
| been priced at least a couple of a hundred more. | | | | laptop users to enjoy. Unlike before when it had only |
| Although most of the mini-laptops out there now | | | | to face a ragtag Linux community, Windows now is |
| have Windows installed in them, the prices haven't | | | | going to be pitted against an operating system |
| changed much, if at all. That's because Microsoft was | | | | backed by a company who rules the Web - the |
| forced to sell their installations at prices much lower | | | | environment that these mini-laptops were made for. |
| than they used to be. And since people are now | | | | Coupled that with how much savings people could |
| aware that there can be cheaper alternatives in case | | | | get when buying wholesale laptops, and Microsoft |
| Microsoft raises its prices again, you can expect | | | | would be at the mercy of the market. |
| those prices to stay low. | | | | Thus, it's time to cheer. The prices of wholesale |
| Unless of course Microsoft wants to lose the same | | | | laptop computer systems will stay at these low |
| market share Linux temporarily captured when the | | | | prices for a very long time. |
| mini-laptops were first introduced. Here's one good | | | | |