Introducing Nettop Ng Bayan 2.0
Nettop ng Bayan 2.0 was in the technology news the past two (2) days and I find it appropriate to blog on the subject if only to take note of its effect on the Internet café industry in the country. Nettop Ng Bayan 2.0 is the new low-cost desktop that Intel Philippines and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) unveiled the other day as a continuation of a previous project by the CICT and Intel called the “PC Ng Bayan.” The project is aimed at providing affordable personal computer to the public in order to raise the computer and Internet penetration among Filipino families.
The new Nettop Ng Bayan 2.0 CPU assembly is encased in a regular desktop casing with an Intel Atom N270 chip (single core, 1,600 MHz frequency, 533 MHz FSB), 80 Gigabyte hard disk, and 1 Gb of memory. It comes with a 15″ wide screen LCD monitor at the recommended retail price of PhP10,800. The amount does not include an operating system (OS) nor any application software. The unit, if installed with an appropriate OS and application software, provides enough processing power for internet-related activities and office productivity.
CICT and Intel are confident that the latest version of the low-cost desktop will generate interest among budget-conscious consumers. CICT chairman Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua said the Nettop Ng Bayan integrates well to his agency’s programs to provide internet access to the people. One of the main programs of the CICT is the Community E-Center (CEC), which are Internet café-like facilities targeted at localities with low computer and Internet presence.
How will Nettop Ng Bayan 2.0 affect the struggling Internet café industry in the country? Will the low-cost PC become affordable to the people and take away some more customers from the Internet café’s already dwindling patronage due to oversupply in many areas? Many Internet café owners will say that because the Nettop Ng Bayan 2.0 cannot be used for the many current PC games, it will not have any effect on their income. Let’s hope it will be so, the industry cannot afford more blows to its already sub-par income earning capability.
Probably not that much. Although it’s convenient to have your own pc at home, going to an Internet Cafe do offer better… well everything!
Faster hardware (Atom processors are sloooow), faster internet connection (with no monthly charges worries), cheap printing (maintenance cost of printers are astronomical for occasional users as heads get clogged when not used daily), free tech support at your beck and call, no worries of hardware breakdowns or software corruption, no added electricity consumption, etc etc etc.
My neighbors tried it, now they’re back once they realized these things. ^^
.-= Bien´s last blog ..WHO ARE WE? =-.
Have to agree with Bien.. there are alot of advantages to using a cafe.. especially when you are travelling. THe last time I toop a laptop on a trip.. I just worried thee whole time about it being stolen. I’d rather not have the worry!!
.-= Anna´s last blog ..What Is A Rain Gauge? =-.
This looks like a very interesting Nettop. I just wrote a post on my blog about the Acer Aspire AR3610-U9022. It’s a dual core system with enought power to play high def movies and surf hulu. People are mostly buying them to plug into their TV and watch movies. It’s just over 7″ tall and deep and 1.2″ wide; it only weighs 9.0 pounds. It’s $329 at Newegg.