ELITEGROUP Computer Systems Co. Ltd. (ECS: 2331.TW) today announced the deployment of more than 300,000 of their laptops bundled with LindowsOS Laptop Edition (www.lindows.com/laptop ). The US-bound laptops come complete with built-in WiFi at a sub-$700 price-point. To visit retailers who are currently selling the Linux laptop, visit www.lindows.com/ecsusabuy . ECS will also begin additional shipments to Canada (www.lindows.com/ecscanadabuy ).

"This 300,000 deployment demonstrates that 2004 will be the year of the Linux laptop," said Michael Robertson, chief executive officer of Lindows.com Inc. "The phenomenal product and phenomenal price-point is breaking open new markets for laptops."

The model A535 laptop has an AMD 4, 1400+ processor, 128 MB of on-board, can be upgraded to 640 MB, DDR RAM, has a 2.5" hard drive up to 80G, and weighs in at 6.0 pounds. A535 has built-in WiFi support for 802.11b networks to make wireless connections simple and easy anywhere. All A535 laptops have been certified for compatibility with LindowsOS Laptop Edition (www.lindows.com/laptop ).

"For the first time, a powerful, mobile computer with built-in WiFi at a sub-$700 price point is making a global reach," said Wilson Lan, general manager of the mobile PC business unit at ELITEGROUP Computer Systems. "Pre-loading our notebook with a Linux operating system like LindowsOS Laptop Edition is an example of our commitment to our customers to offer quality yet economical IT products."

ELITEGROUP currently ships approximately 1.1 million notebooks a year, making it one of the largest laptop manufacturers in the world. The country of Taiwan exports the majority of laptops worldwide with 18.4 million laptops expected to ship this year. ECS sells to major retailers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with ECS operations also established in Europe and the Pacific Rim.

The A535 exceeds the technical specs of other products with similar computing power. The full-featured notebook comes with DVD dual drive, 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Gbps LAN, and an easy-on-the-eyes 14.1-inch TFT LCD with 1024 x 768 resolution. The hard drive can be 20/30/40/60/80 GB. The optical drive can also be CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or a combo/DVD dual. The A535 also received the Good Design Award from the Industrial Development Bureau of Taiwan, review the award details at www.lindows.com/ecsaward .

LindowsOS Laptop Edition is the first Linux-based operating system tailored exclusively for mobile computing, and features advanced power management capabilities, expanded WiFi card support, and compatibility with "Net keys".

About Lindows.com

Lindows.com gives consumers the world's most affordable choice in software, focusing on complete ease-of-use and reliability. LindowsOS is an intuitive operating system that allows the installation of thousands of applications with just one click. LindowsOS 4.5 now offers SIP technology for free worldwide calling to other SIP devices, remote desktop sharing, and integrated websearch and translation tools (www.lindows.com/lindowsos ). LindowsOS Laptop Edition (www.lindows.com/laptop ) is the first Linux-based operating system tailored specifically for laptops. Those who are interested in becoming authorized resellers of LindowsOS should visit www.lindows.com/reseller, or www.lindows.com/builder if interested in selling computers pre-loaded with LindowsOS. LindowsOS is currently offered in English (www.lindows.com/lindowsos ), Spanish (www.lindows.com/espanol ) and Japanese (www.lindows.com/edge ).

About ELITEGROUP Computer Systems (ECS)

ELITEGROUP Computer Systems (ECS) is one of the Taiwan's leading manufacturers of computer hardware. The country exports the majority of laptops worldwide, with 18.1 million expected to be produced in 2004, according to the Market Intelligence Center. ECS currently serves resellers in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with operations also in Europe and the Pacific Rim.