Internet-Ready PC For Under $500

ICG Communications unit Netcom On-Line Communication Services Inc. has partnered with Emachines Inc. to create an Internet-ready computer system for about $500, monitor included. The system has Universal Serial Bus (USB) and game ports accessible on the front.

The hardware, with bundled Net-com Internet service pre-installed, will be in retail stores by mid-November, the firm says.

An Emachines spokesperson said, "The eTower systems are priced in the under-$500 range to reach people who have never bought a PC before. Or for people who want a second or even third system, or just don’t want to share the main computer with their children."

She added, "This price point also lets small office/home office (SOHO) users have the latest and greatest equipment without draining their bank accounts."

The spokesperson said the system comes with Windows 98 and Microsoft Works, in addition to Netcom’s Internet service.

Concerning the front-mounted ports, the spokesperson commented, "Most people don’t like to reach around in the back and fight the wires to plug in peripherals."

The $499 eTower 266 features a 266 megahertz (MHz) Cyrix processor, a 2.1 gigabyte (GB) hard drive, 32 megabytes (MB) of memory, a 56 kilobits-per-second (Kbps) modem, a CD-ROM drive, and a 14-inch monitor. Without the monitor, the system box goes for $399.

The spokesperson said the eTower is also available with an Intel 300 MHz Celeron processor and 3.1GB hard drive for $599, or $499 without the monitor.

In an announcement, Steve Dukker, chief executive officer, remarked that the new PCs make Emachines "the first to produce a low-priced PC that isn’t made up of last quarter’s leftover components or last year’s mistakes."

Dukker said the firm has already placed into retail channels all 200,000 PCs it plans to make before the end of this year. The firm plans to ship the systems in early November to stores like Best Buy and Office Depot. The systems "will be on shelves by the late-November buying rush," the spokesperson added.

Emachines is a joint venture of two Korean-based companies, TriGem Systems and Korean Data Systems (KDS), which produce the systems and the monitors for Fremont, Calif.-based Emachines.

Emachines announced last month it has a Windows-based iMac look-alike planned for next Spring, which it will call the eMac. Like the machines announced today, eMacs will sell for $499.

A Netcom spokesperson said, "This system is set up so users have a complete tutorial of how to get on the Internet. We have hot-loaded our Netcom service on the hard drive and a new user just walks through the step-by-step process to start using their system to access the Internet."

The Netcom spokesperson said the package includes Netcomplete software with a free 30 day trial period. Users can choose from two services offerings, one with 10 hours of Internet access at $9.95 per month and additional hours at $0.99. The second package offers unlimited Internet access for $19.95 per month.

Netcom is on the World Wide Web at http://www.netcom.com. Emachines is at http://www.emachinesinc.com.