As businesses worldwide embrace netbooks as a way to bridge the gap between low price and high performance in information technology, IBM, Canonical, and Simmtronics have announced that Simmtronics netbook, the Simmbook, is available to emerging markets at a low price of $190. With initial availability in emerging markets such as South Africa, the Simmbook is preloaded with IBM Client for Smart Work, which includes IBM Lotus Symphony, access to IBM LotusLive cloud collaboration services, and choice of adding other IBM Lotus collaboration software like Lotus Notes and Lotus Sametime.
Designed specifically for mobile computing, the Simmbook provides the power of a full-sized laptop in a compact body. IBM Client for Smart Work is IBM and Canonical's complete desktop package that's open, easy to use, and offers a security-rich alternative to costly, proprietary PC software, such as Microsoft Windows. It can help lower costs by up to 50% of a typical Microsoft PC.
"As Africa makes economic strides during a time when new technologies like cloud computing are emerging, the Simmbook netbook with LotusLive, Lotus Symphony, Lotus Notes and Ubuntu Linux provides businesses with a complete solution at an affordable price," states Clifford Foster, IBM sub-Saharan CTO.
"This is the first time that you have access to a low cost, but high value solution that includes productivity applications that people consider standard in an office- or desktop-type environment, combined with hardware, and a great operating system, all available as a single solution with no custom work required," observes Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical. "Cloud computing is all about keeping the heavy duty and expensive parts of your computing infrastructure in a centralized place where they can be adequately or professionally managed and keeping the client relatively thin and lightweight," he adds.
In addition to African countries, the low-cost Simmbook will also be available in India, Thailand and Vietnam. Simmtronics and IBM plan to continue to work with clients to offer the Simmbook at a competitive price to other countries around the world.
For more details on the solution, and to hear more comments from Mark Shuttleworth, go here. The new Simmbook preloaded with IBM Client for Smart Work can be purchased online directly from Simmtronics.