AMD Personal Internet Communicator was a big flop

Posted on Monday, November 13 2006 @ 22:05 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Do you guys still remember the cheap AMD Personal Internet Communicator (PIC)? This device was launched about two years ago as part of AMD's 50x15 strategy to provide 50% of the world with Internet connectivity and computing capabilities by 2015.
The PIC was developed as one solution in support of AMD’s global “50x15” initiative aimed at driving Internet and computing capabilities to half of the world’s population by the year 2015. The primary goal of the “50x15” initiative was to leverage the benefits technology provides to enable economic-growth potential in high-growth regions of the world largely untouched by modern communication tools.
Well, the device is dead. AMD says it has never seen any significant financial gains from the PIC and decided to pull the plug. ZD Net writes there was no interest in the PIC:
It was designed for emerging markets like India. But M.K. Shankaralinge Gowda, the highest-ranking IT official in the Indian state of Karnataka, where the high-tech city of Bangalore is located, said he had never heard of it in an interview in spring 2005. And during the World Congress on Information Technology in May of this year, AMD gave away a PIC to every attendee, but many unclaimed boxes remained a few days into the show.


One of the reasons why the device flopped is because it didn't have a display, it wasn't really cheap and it had a slow processor.

The device was available for $185, here are the features:
  • AMD Geode GX 500 processor (clocked at 366MHz)
  • 128MB DDR memory
  • 10GB 3.5-inch HDD
  • 4x USB 1.1 ports
  • A 56Kbps modem
  • AC'97 audio
  • VGA display interface
  • Keyboard + mouse
  • Some preinstalled software like Windows CE and Internet Explorer 6.0


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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