Intel, Microsoft Collaborate To Bring Pay-As-You-Go PCs To Millions Of New Users

by Marco Chiappetta — Monday, May 22, 2006, 01:00 PM EDT

Intel, Microsoft Collaborate To Bring Pay-As-You-Go PCs To Millions Of New Users

Microsoft FlexGo Technology to be a Key Element of Intel World Ahead Program

SEATTLE, May 22, 2006 - Intel Corporation and Microsoft Corp. today announced that the companies will collaborate to engineer and deliver flexible, pay-as-you-go PC purchasing models for consumers in emerging markets. Intel's support of Microsoft FlexGo technology is a key part of Intel's broad World Ahead program to help speed access to uncompromised technology and education for people in developing regions around the world. The collaboration between Microsoft and Intel to implement FlexGo technology is another example of the successful joint activities the two companies have taken on in emerging markets.

The pay-as-you-go model enabled by FlexGo makes PCs more accessible by reducing the initial cost and enabling customers to pay for computers through subscriptions or as they use them, through the purchase of prepaid activation cards or tokens. Intel will provide support for the FlexGo capability initially on Intel's Discover the PC platforms tailored for people in developing regions, such as the recently introduced Intel-powered Community PC in India.

"We have a strong history of collaboration with Intel, driving innovation with the industry, making our products more accessible, and improving the lives of people in developing markets," said Will Poole, senior vice president of Microsoft's Market Expansion Group. "We are very optimistic about the results of our joint efforts, such as our collaboration with governments to promote PC ownership, and look forward to working with Intel on pay-as-you-go and subscription computing with FlexGo technology to introduce whole new groups of people to the power of technology." READ MORE...

Tags: Intel, Microsoft, PC, Users, PCs, labor, OS, lion, MIC, lab, Brin, icrosoft, Micro

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com