Microsoft Introduces Pay As You Go PC
- By: kidmercury [privmsg - website] On 22nd May 2006 In
In an attempt to push the Microsoft software and web properties to new markets, Microsoft has introduced a "Pay as You Go" PC that allows you to pay as you use it instead of a larger upfront purchase.
Hoping to bring the success of the prepaid mobile phone business model to personal computing, Microsoft on Monday launched a pay-as-you-go initiative in emerging markets. The program, called FlexGo, will provide low-cost Windows PCs that are subsidized by prepaid cards and subscription fees.
You can check out the whole article at BetaNews.com.
via TechDirt
- Y! MyWeb
Pre-empting the "Free PCs!" objection
My first thought was how easy it would be to hack it and get a "free pc".
I imagine what they'll do is a cel phone / "Blockbuster Video" model here:
- One year minimum contract.
- If you lose the PC or mess with it at all, you have to pay for it in full.
Then there's this:
*Hardware
• Computer Use Metering. System components within the hardware allow for tracking computer use time, based on minutes of use or a specific end-date, as defined in the provisioning data that is independent of the operating system.
• Metering Policy Enforcement. When all of the available computer time has been used, access to the PC is limited until more time is added. Metering policy is also enforced when there are signs that the system has been tampered with.
• Anti-tampering Measures: These include hardware security technologies that make it inconvenient or costly for an individual to tamper with the components that meter computer usage. These features reduce the risk to those financing the payments over time for the PC.
Software
• Interfaces to the Provisioning Server System. New interfaces have been created to connect the operating system to the Microsoft FlexGo provisioning server system in a secured manner.
• Local Provisioning System. An operating system component, called the Local Provisioning System, has been added to enable metered use of the computer and to provide mechanisms to apply metering rules.
• User Interface and Notifications. Updates were made to the user interface to help users with the new tasks related to pay-as-you-go and subscription usage. These updates include an activation and "add time" wizard, notifications to keep track of the remaining time, and a "limited access mode" that allows users to add time even if they have used all of their available PC usage time.*
Is there interest charged
Is there interest charged with this?
This sounds like a good idea
This sounds like a good idea but I can't help being suspicious of MS.
Are they doing this to test out the subscription model they've been trying to force on us for years?
Don't be so suspicious
I think it's a great idea for people that can't afford them, it's like the prepaid phones, poor kids could get that computer at home without sending the family deeper into debt.
Just like the tobacco company, MS knows people that don't use their product can't get "hooked" on it, so you have to get it into their hands to get them addicted to make sure they delegate a chunk of their future income to using computers.
Again?
>Pay as you go...
I thought MS was already doing the pay as you go philosphy by planning to sell people MS antivirus subscriptions to patch Windows? hhhh