HP to Offer Linux Based TV Media Center

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/05/technology/05hewlett.html?ex=1262581200&en=76afa25017009a04&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt' target='_blank'>http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/05/technology/05hewlett.html?ex=1262581200&en=76afa25017009a04&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Hewlett-Packard will introduce a new device this fall meant to record and play back television as well as organize digital media, including photos, music and video, the company said yesterday. Hewlett already offers similar devices based on Microsoft's Windows Media Center Edition. The device, called the HP Media Hub, will be based on the Linux operating system. Carleton S. Fiorina, the chief executive, said that by using Linux, rather than Windows, Hewlett can reduce the cost of the device, which has not been set, she said."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/small_linux_inside_gray_t.gif" /><br /><br />Cost seems to be a big reason many companies are moving to open source these days. In doing so though, there seems to be a <a href="http://blog.kowalczyk.info/archives/2004/12/29/google-we-take-it-all-give-nothing-back/">backlash</a> as to what they are giving back to the community as a whole. HP now offers iTunes, MCE and Linux based media choices. I guess you call that covering your bases. :roll:

[Jason Dunn]

You know, when you're dropping 2K on a media computer, is the $40 or so dollars HP will take off the price really worth not getting Windows? Your options are SO much more limited with Linux...and I doubt HP is really going to pass the savings of not using Windows onto the consumer...? This is just mental. I wonder if there are some other advantages to doing this, like having access to the whole OS for their own purposes...