Published at LXer:
The Zonbu PC, a $99 miniature desktop that debuted earlier this year, generated some excitement among those with shallow pockets—at least until they saw the fine print. You have to pay the two-year subscription plan (ranging anywhere from $12.95 to $19.95 per month) up front before you can call the desktop your own. In return, you get around-the-clock technical support, 25GB to 100GB worth of online storage, and the comfort of knowing that you'll never have to update your PC manually again. The plan worked well enough that Zonbu decided to take its subscription-based services on the road, in the form of a laptop. The Everex Zonbu Notebook, which launched earlier this year, loads Gentoo Linux and runs on green, or energy-efficient, parts furnished by VIA.
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