Lindows rolls out low-cost, flat monitor PC

Citing its strategy to offer consumers more affordable computing options, Linux-based software provider Lindows.com rolled out a new $449 flat-panel monitor PC Thursday.

The new PC adds to the family of low-cost computers recently launched by the San Diego startup, which has been embroiled in a trademark infringement suit from Microsoft for the last two years over the similarity of the Lindows and Windows names.

Dubbed "KooBox," the PC comes with a 14.1 inch (36.5 cm) LCD flat-panel monitor, a CD player, network card, modem, keyboard, speakers, mouse, Lindow's OS 4.0, and Lindows suite of office software. The software is compatible with Microsoft Office file types, Lindows said. Additionally, buyers of the PC will be able to access and download over 1,500 applications from the company's "Click-N-Run Warehouse."

The computer comes with a Duron 1.2 GHz processor from Advanced Micro Devices Inc., a 20GB hard drive and 256MB of SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM). If this is not powerful of enough for some users, Lindows is also offering a deluxe version of the computer with an upgraded processor, a 60GB hard drive, 512MB of SDRAM, DVD, and CD-RW drives and a 3D graphics card for $699.

The computer is manufactured by San Diego company MicroTron 2000.

The PC comes with a 90-day warranty and three-month trials of virus scan and Web filtering software. The KooBox is available for purchase in the U.S. from http://www.koobox.com.

Lindows launched in the hopes of competing with Microsoft at the low end of the market, and despite the trademark suit the company has continued to introduce new products and strike distribution deals with Walmart.com and Fry's Electronics Inc. stores.

A trial in the case between the two software providers was delayed last March after Microsoft was asked to produce more than 300 boxes of evidence to support its trademark claims. At that time, the trail was rescheduled for December.