Apkomindo to start rolling out inexpensive PCs<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Computer Business Association (Apkomindo) will
\nbegin providing low-priced personal computers (PCs) this month as
\npart of a program aimed at helping to increase computer sales and
\nInternet access in the country.<\/p>\n
Apkomindo chairman G. Hidayat Tjokrodjojo said the association
\nwas currently in the process of determining the specifications of
\nthe PCs and the distribution scheme.<\/p>\n
"We are still in the final process of selecting which hardware
\nand software to use on the PCs and how to distribute them, but we
\nhope they will be available this April," Hidayat Tjokrodjojo told
\nThe Jakarta Post recently, while mentioning such options as using
\nthe less-expensive Intel Celeron processor and the free GNU\/Linux
\noperating system.<\/p>\n
Apkomindo's program, called the PC Ownership Initiative
\n(PCOI), was launched earlier this year to provide more affordable
\nPCs for the public -- about half the current market price of
\nbetween Rp 3 million ($353) and Rp 4 million per computer.<\/p>\n
The association achieves the low prices by getting its members
\nto channel a portion of their annual promotion budgets to the
\nprogram. The association also established a National Computer
\nProducers Forum (FPKN) to further coordinate and manage the
\nprogram.<\/p>\n
The government has welcomed the program, which is in line with
\nits efforts to increase the country's PC ownership and Internet
\naccess -- both of which currently stand at only about 4 percent
\nof the population -- as mandated by the recent World Summit on
\nthe Information Society (WSIS).<\/p>\n
The WSIS is a global forum organized by the United Nations and
\nthe International Telecommunications Union to narrow the Internet
\naccess gap between developing and developed countries. At its
\nmeeting last December in Geneva, it the forum set several
\ntargets, including that each country reach an Internet access
\nrate of over 50 percent by 2015.<\/p>\n
The PCOI is also expected to boost PC sales in the country,
\nwhich Apkomindo has targeted at one million units this year, from
\n750,000 last year.<\/p>\n
"We are expecting an annual sales of 100,000 to 250,000 of the
\nlow-priced PCs," Hidayat said.<\/p>\n
Hidayat, however, said the program was only intended for those
\nsegments of society that needed PCs but could not afford them,
\nsuch as foundations, civil society organizations, small and
\nmedium enterprises and local administrations.<\/p>\n
The FPKN said it would strictly monitor and limit the
\ndistribution of the PCs to ensure they did not drive down prices
\nin the market.<\/p>\n
"We do not want these subsidized PCs to be misused by those
\nwho already have a PC or who can actually afford a normally
\npriced one, or by those who just want to resell them," he said,
\nadding that the PCs would therefore probably not be sold in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Hidayat also asked for support from the government, including
\ntax incentives for the PCs and help in distributing them through
\nregional government-owned cooperations.<\/p>\n
The PCOI is similar to Malaysia's recent, government-initiated
\n"Excellent PC" (PC Gemilang) program. PCs offered through the
\nprogram all sport a 1.7GHz Intel Celeron processor, 128MB of
\nmemory, a 40GB hard drive, a 15-inch monitor and standard
\nperipherals, including a 56kbps modem, and cost only $260 if
\nusing the GNU\/Linux operating system and $302 if using Microsoft
\nWindows XP.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apkomindo-to-start-rolling-out-inexpensive-pcs-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}