Lenovo Group became the first PC maker in the world to release
models optimized for Windows Vista and estimates it will sell
several million computers pre-installed with Vista this year.
The world's third-largest computer maker demonstrated about 10
new computers as well as printers in Beijing and at the Consumer
Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas yesterday, two days after
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates demonstrated the software at the
CES.
With Microsoft expected to release the new operating systems to
consumers on January 30, computer makers are looking to it to boost
sales.
"Windows Vista has an unprecedented space in the PC industry,"
said Chen Shaopeng, senior vice-president of Lenovo Group and
president of its China operation, yesterday at its headquarters in
Beijing.
While mainstream computers in the Chinese market use one-core
processors from Intel or AMD, Windows Vista requires dual-core
processors and a memory of at least 2 gigabytes for optimal
performance.
However, Liu Jie, general manager of Lenovo's consumer desktop
computers and head of a Vista migration team in the firm, said any
rise in the price of computers will only be equal to the cost of a
McDonalds meal, thanks to subsidies from Microsoft, Lenovo and
other partners.
For PC makers, which have been looking for something to save
them from price wars and stimulate buyers' demand, Windows Vista
promises to be a strong stimulus.
The world's largest computer maker, HP, plans to release new
desktop products for the Chinese market today in Beijing and
Windows Vista is expected to be a key theme. In November, 17 major
PC makers including Lenovo and HP said they had computers ready for
the launch of Windows Vista.
Lenovo, the biggest PC supporter of Microsoft in China, sold
about 5 million computers with Microsoft's Windows operating
systems last year, out of a total shipment of around 8 million
units. Liu estimated the shipment of Vista-equipped machines will
be roughly the same.
In November, the computer giant selected large corporate users
as pilots for the migration to Vista, but other consumers will have
to wait until January 30 to get computers fitted with the
software.
Lenovo has been preparing products, sales and services for the
official launch.
(China Daily January 10, 2007)