XP extended for desktops

Microsoft has announced that it will officially extend Windows XP for nettops – ultralow-cost desktop PCs such as Asus’ forthcoming EBox.

The Redmond company has already extended the life of XP for low-cost sub-notebooks such as the Eee PC and the deluge of similar style small form factor laptops that are arriving from the major manufacturers.

That extension has now been rolled out to desktops – albeit low specced, low cost ones.

Expanded marketplace

“The marketplace for this emerging class of computers has expanded, and Microsoft and its partners are now seeing interest in these devices in developed markets as well, especially as companion devices in multi-PC households. As demand for this new category has grown, both customers and partners have expressed their strong preference that Windows be the operating system on these devices,” read Microsoft’s statement.

Although the release does not actually mention XP – it does refer to the extension that was made in April to XP, so it seems the logical assumption.

“Customers and partners have made it clear to us that they want Windows on their netbooks and nettops,” said Steven Guggenheimer, corporate vice president of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Division at Microsoft. “We are committed to providing Windows solutions for these devices, helping to ensure a high-quality experience for both our partners and customers.”

The list of companies collaborating with the project includes Acer Inc., ASUSTek Computer Inc., BenQ Corp., Dell Inc., First International Computer Inc., Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd., HP, Inventec Corp., Lenovo, Medion AG, Micro-Star International Co., Positivo Informatica, Pegatron Corp., Quanta Computer Inc. and Wistron Corp.