| Linspire launches little Linux PC |
Jul. 05, 2006
 Linspire, along with AOpen and Mirus Innovations, introduced a small form-factor Linux PC on June 28. One of the Linspire Mini Koobox's key selling points is its price -- it starts at $399, after a $100 mail-in rebate, Linspire said.
Measuring just 6.5 x 6.5 x 2 inches and weighing 3 lbs., the system sports a brushed matte-platinum case with clear blue plastic accents. To add to the streamlined aesthetic, ports are located in the back of the unit, including two USB 2.0 ports, one IEEE 1394 port (Firewire), speaker-out, S-video, and mic. The system also provides a DVI monitor interface connector, and comes with a DVI-to-VGA adapter so that it can be connected to plasma-display or large-format monitors.
The entry-level model is powered by a 1.5 GHz Intel Celeron M 370 processor and Intel 915 chipset, and it comes with 256 MB DDR2 RAM and a 40 GB hard drive, plus an integrated Ethernet card. The system also features a slim CDRW/DVD combo drive and is equipped with DVD-playing software.
The Mini Koobox comes with the Linspire Linux 5.1 operating system, using a 2.6.14 kernel. The application package includes:- choice of KDE or GNOME desktops
- OpenOffice.org 2.0, GNOME Office, or KOffice 1.4.2
- amaroK 1.3.8
- GIMP 2.2.10
- Firefox 1.5.0.1
- Evolution 2.4.2 email client
- GAIM 1.5.0 instant messager
Upgraded versions of the Mini Koobox are also available. The medium-range version, priced $499 after mail-in rebate, is equipped with a Intel Celeron M 370 processor, 512 MB RAM, and a 60 GB hard drive; a third model, priced at $549 after mail-in rebate, is fitted with an Intel Pentium M 725 1.6 GHz processor.
All Mini Koobox units come with a 15-day free subscription to Linspire's CNR software download service, plus keyboard, mouse and speakers. Complete system specifications and a comparison chart on Mini Koobox options are available here.
Koobox computers are built by AOpen, manufactured and shipped directly by Mirus, fully certified by Linspire and tested by quality of standards that are ISO 9001 certified and 100 percent compliant with industry standards, Linspire CEO Kevin Carmony said.
"Buying a low-priced Linux machine usually means you'll have to sacrifice on style and select from a limited supply," Carmony added. "We developed the Mini Koobox with Mirus and AOpen because we know there is high consumer demand for ultra-compact home computers that not only look great and perform well, but also don't cost a fortune."
Availability
The Linspire Mini Koobox is available now through Mirus as part of their Koobox line of desktop computers.
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