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Microsoft software will sell for just $3 in some parts of the world in
an attempt to reach the five out of six people worldwide still not using computers. The software giant has a goal of bringing computing to a further one billion people by 2015 (doubling the current number of computer users). Bill Gates made the announcement during a speech in Beijing:

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With an estimated 500 million pounds of electronics collecting dust in California’s closets, garages and attics, finding ways to reuse those metals, plastics and chemicals is critical.  That’s where John Shegerian’s company, Electronic Recyclers, comes in.  The Futures Channel takes viewers inside the largest electronic recycling plant in California in its new online micro-documentary, “Recycling Computers.”

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Looks like HP is working on an ambitious project which would result in a gaming handheld that combines sensor technology (made popular by the Wii) with GPS technology to allow for surroundings to be a backdrop for immersive gaming. And to top it all, the idea is being spun as educational (that is, to educators, shh… don’t tell anyone who thinks it’s just a game).

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Walt Mossberg of Wall Street Journal fame has an article out (subscription required) explaining just how much crap his brand new Sony laptop came with. And we’re not talking full programs either; these are trial versions which force you to pay later if you’re really interested. Walt counted about two dozen “craplets” pre-installed, which likely are part of the reason for the over two minutes of time it takes the computer to start up (compared to 30 seconds for a comparable Apple MacBook, ouch!). Sony’s response:

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Earlier this week, Dell released a new product line, the EC280, with a price of approximately $335. This is part of a new initiative by Michael Dell himself to boost sales of PCs to consumers globally. Dell explained that the EC280 "was designed with China and other key markets in mind," so that the company could "adjust our business to meet the needs of customers in fast-growing and emerging markets." So far, sales of the EC280 are limited to China, but Brazil and India are other countries where it will be sold shortly.

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I haven’t watched TV in over a year. I’ve watched television programs, but I no longer watch TV. I buy or rent programs on DVD, download shows on bit torrent, or watch them on YouTube or on the networks’ own sites.

The side affect is that I no longer watch commercials. Out of all of the above options, the only time I see a commercial is on the networks’ sites. I haven’t missed them. Commercials might very well be on the way out. It is now quite easy to watch entire television shows without seeing a single commercial.

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As of yesterday, Microsoft and Lenovo Group have an agreement that Lenovo computers will come pre-loaded with a toolbar powered by Microsoft’s Windows Live. Lenovo is the world’s third largest PC maker and is the first computer manufacturer to formalize an arrangement with Windows Live. Windows Live is also third in its sphere, ranked behind Google and Yahoo in terms of market share.

Which company did Lenovo use prior to Microsoft for default search and toolbar installation? Google.

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CompUSA recently announced that it will be closing more than half of its 225 stores (see the list of closings here). The computer store chain is giving the following reason, “Based on changing conditions in the consumer retail electronics markets, the company identified the need to close and sell stores with low performance or nonstrategic, old store layouts and locations faced with market saturation.”

Translation: CompUSA hasn’t been competitive for some time, and the problem has caught up with the retailer. There are only so many computer beginners willing to pay $20 for a printer cable available for less than half that price at many locations both on and offline.

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