“Wal-Mart, Kmart, Toys ‘R’ Us will all carry new easy-to-use
computer from Global PC — sans Windows or Linux. …will test
market the new low-cost PC created by Global PC, a firm owned by
Compu-DAWN Inc., maker of communications products such as the e.TV
set-top box.
“The blue-light specials are expected to begin in October.”
“Instead of licensing Windows or building on Linux, the company
licensed Geoworks Corp.’s GEOS and developed two new user
interfaces and a software suite for it.
GEOS, now in its third version, was originally developed in 1983
as an alternative desktop operating system, but it has been used
widely in handhelds, smart phones such as Nokia Corp.’s
Communicator, and the Geobook, a notebook computer sold by Brother
Industries Ltd. GEOS offers several features that Windows does not,
including ‘instant on.’ “