Cool Tech Reviews

Yes, you can still buy a new PC with Windows XP installed on it. Windows XP ceased to be available at retail on June 30, 2008 but there are a number of exceptions. The relevant exception for a consumer or a small business owner is that "OEMs can downgrade Vista Business or Vista Ultimate licenses to Windows XP Professional or Tablet PC versions for customers indefinitely," where OEMs are the large PC manufacturers.

However, there’s a difference between "can" and "will" or "will with no hassle" so Christopher Null at PC World tried to purchase a PC with XP from Dell, HP, Gateway, Toshiba, Acer, Fujitsu, Lenovo, and Asus and reports on the very mixed results. Hit the article for the full details on each, but the best bets for an machine with XP preinstalled are:

Consumer PC: Toshiba, Fujitsu, Lenovo

Business PC: HP, Fujitsu, Lenovo

If you are willing to pay extra or install XP from a CD, the choices are even more numerous. Also Asus has its line of Eee ultra low-cost PCs (ULPC) which come with XP under a different exemption in the rules.

I have been a pleased user of a Toshiba laptop for over 2 years and get a variety of advertising information from them. Today, I noticed that they are having a 20% off sale on selected models until May 1st.

Save 20% instantly when you customize select Satellite® laptops online.  Offer ends 5.01.08.  Shop ToshibaDirect.com today!

More precisely, it’s 20% off on all customizable Satellite laptops (which amounts to 5 models), where “customizable” means that you select the exact software and hardware options that you want. Seems like a great deal on a great product. Give it a look if you are in the market for a laptop.

Update: This offer has been extended until May 15.

Paul Miller at Engadget has a screen shot from the Sony online store demonstrating a new height in chutzpah:

Sony has quite the history of crippling excellent, beautiful hardware with horrible, useless software. The company’s UX UMPC bluescreened on us the first time we turned it on, and crashed the first time we tried to shut it down thanks to all the bloatware on it, while a Laptop Mag review says their Vaio TZ ran “as if it were broken” before they managed to wipe it clean. Lucky for us, it appears Sony is finally seeing the error of its ways, but instead of removing the crapware altogether, Sony has the nerve to offer a $50 “Fresh Start” option, which “scrubs” the machine clean before shipping it your way.

Actually it’s only the Vaio TZ2000 notebook that can be ordered crapware-free right now, but it is likely a sign of things to come.

Unlike many commentators, I sympathize with the OEM PC manufacturers and understand that the money they make by preloading trial software (AKA “crapware” or “bloatware”) applications is key to profitability in the low margin PC business - yes, that $50 is very important to the bottom line. However, there’s no excuse for buggy and incompatible applications infesting a new machine. Thumbs down to Sony until they get their act together.

Update: Responding to a firestorm of criticism, Sony has removed the $50 fee, but will offer the “Fresh Start” option only on some systems:

Fresh Start will now be a no-cost option on Sony’s slick subnotebooks, but only for those who opt for Windows Vista Business Edition, a $100 upgrade.

Ed Bott, who coincidentally had been trying to resuscitate two crapware laden Sony systems, has more including this quote from Mike Abary, Senior Vice President of the VAIO division:

“We heard the message loud and clear,” Abary told me. “VAIO is the poster child for negative experiences people had [with trialware]. We recognize that, and we acknowledge it. We’ve been really beat up by this issue. We’re listening and we’re taking action.”

Good for Sony.

I was a little late getting over to Super Warehouse for Cyber Monday, but that’s OK since their sale goes through 11/30 or longer in some cases. Some sample items:

• Acer Veriton M261-UC4300P Desktop only $358.99. 1.8 GHz Celeron, XP Pro, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB drive.
• Lenovo ThinkPad R61e 7650 Notebook, 1.86GHz, only $579.99 SHIPPED. Celeron, 15.4″ WXGA, XP Pro, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB drive. 
• $50 Off + Free Shipping - HP 530 Business Notebook only $617.99. Intel Core Duo T2300E 1.66 GHz, 15.4″ WXGA, 1GB RAM, 80 GB drive, loaded with Vista Business.
• V7 NAV700 Automobile Navigator GPS only $212.99. 4″ WQVGA color LCD touch screen.
• Coby DP882 8 inch Black Digital Picture Frame only $123.99. 8 inch TFT LCD color display. Takes SD, MMC, xD, and CF memory cards. This photo frame also plays MP3 and WMA Audio files and plays most MP4 and AVI Video files from Digital Cameras.

You may be familiar with the ShopNBC shopping channel but they also have a online store and are running a Cyber Monday sale though it seems to primarily be on jewelry, watches, and clothes. Still, there are some tech items and you get free shipping from ShopNBC on any purchase using your PayPal account.

Laptops:

• Acer AS4315 14.1″ Intel Celeron 1.73GHz Notebook Package (including printer and wireless router) for $699.99 plus a $100 rebate.
• Acer TravelMate 14.1″ Intel Celeron M 1.6GHz Notebook Package (including printer and wireless router) for $799.99 with an additional $100 rebate.
• Toshiba A215 15.4″ AMD Athlon 64 X2 1.8GHz Notebook Package (including printer and wireless router) for $974.99 with another $125 off in rebates.

DLP TV:

• Mitsubishi 57″ 1080p DLP HDTV, RCA DVD Player & TV Stand for $1799.00 plus a $100 rebate.

There’s much more on the site, but the emphasis seems to be on packages and bundles with mail-in rebates, so evaluate your need for the extras carefully.

Circuit City has a variety of bargains available in its 3 day Cyber Monday sale, but don’t expect super discount doorbuster specials. Examples:

Laptops:

• Acer Aspire AS5100-5023 15.4″ Widescreen Notebook PC with AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-56, 2GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, and Vista Home Premium reduced by $210 to $639.96.
• HP Pavilion dv6449us 15.4″ Widescreen Laptop Computer with AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-56, 2GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, and Vista Home Premium reduced by $210 to $739.99.
• Gateway M6817 15.4″ Widescreen Notebook PC with Intel Core 2 Duo T5250, 2 GB RAM, 250GB hard drive and Vista Home Premium reduced by $200 to $799.96.

Plasma TV - Hitachi 42″ Plasma HDTV Model #: HIT P42H401 reduced $300 to $1099.99.

External Hard Drives - Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 750GB External Hard Drive reduced $60 to $219.99.

There’s much more and note that they are offering %10 off on some items if you choose to pick them up at a local Circuit City store instead of having them shipped to you.