```Cheery Picking for PC's```

The PC is changing. In the last year or so we've seen a significant change in the portable market with dirt cheap, low spec laptops such as the Asus Eee PC taking the world by storm. These devices are cheap because they use low end processors and Linux operating systems but are web-enabled, giving users access to the ever growing number of applications that are available online. The term netbook seems more suitable than laptop. So if you need to surf, email, knock out the odd text-based document or spreadsheet, most people will be more than happy with a $300 netbook. Now a similar change is happening in the desktop market. This week, we're hearing a lot about CherryPal, a low spec desktop machine that costs only $250. The CherryPal unit accesses all its applications through a central server for which there is free 24/7 support. Perhaps, but the likes of Google and other providers of online applications who have been providing services to "the cloud" for some time now, might argue with that. Apple might also have something to say given that it launched the Mac Mini more than three years ago. But the CherryPal still looks exciting, not least because it starts up in 20 seconds and uses only 2W of power.