If I'm right in guessing that "Celeron 400" means the 400-series not a 400MHz Celeron, then it's a Conroe-based single-core chip clocking somewhere between 1.6 and 2.0GHz. That is not slow.

For comparison I use a laptop with a Core Solo T1350/1.86GHz (533 bus, as opposed to this Celeron that goes at 800), which originally had 512MB RAM and an 80GB HDD, i.e. virtually the same as this box. It came with XP and it ran it pretty well, definitely acceptibly fast.

celeron 400..., umm thats pretty low spec. Even ubuntu (gnome) might lag with it.

i know because am using a AMD athlon 1.5GHZ with 512MB ram.

Ubuntu runs smooth, but opening 2 or 3 youtube vids takes 100% cpu.

could be the distro they are using works well with it.. but i doubt it.

the gPC that walmart is selling , seems a better value for $200 (includes far better processor and an optical drive)

i would go with the barebones thou, since it can be upgraded to Core 2 (but will cost more..).

anyway it's very positive they started offering linux pcs. Hopefully they will offer something with better specs later on.

Does anyone know when these will be released?

Sound like their doing the same marketing bull plop that asus has done with the EEE PC. Yep, start out at $200 then when it launches it will be double that or more. 

Celeron 400 (???) not good enough for a decent linux distro.

Now, if it was a Celeron 1400, I'd be interested!

Wow.. What kind of processor is this.. I didn't think 945GB supported anything older than P4M.

Most likely it'll cost £249 including the Gordon tax or something like that.

I do like the look of it, especially if it could be upgraded to a Core 2. Didn't see an optical drive on it though, does it not come with one or is it behind a flap?

Rob

but will $199 translate to a UK launch price of £99(+Gordon Tax)