14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft will officially unveil the new Windows 8 on October 25 in New York, but an online retailer is already selling computers featuring the new operating system.
HSN.com, the online version of the popular Home Shopping Network, is selling 5 Acer and Gateway computers, all shipped with a pre-installed copy of Windows 8.
A HSN representative told ZDNet that all computers are indeed in stock and will ship right away when ordered. He confirmed that these machines come with an installed version of Windows 8 and not an option to upgrade to the new operating system after the October 25 launch.
All laptops are equipped with dedicated Windows 8 keys and logos placed on the case, so it might seem like all hardware configurations have been adapted to the new operating system.
In addition, two of the notebooks feature new trackpads that will allow users to take the most out of Windows 8’s new features, such as swiping and Charms. The Acer notebook also comes with a touchscreen.
Aside from the pre-installed Windows 8 OS, the five computers are also shipped with plenty of preinstalled software that may very well affect the overall performance and slow down the systems.
For example, the Acer workstations feature a 60-day trial of Microsoft Office 2010, Acer Portal, Acer Games, Acer Recovery Management, Nero 12 Essentials, Adobe Reader and another 60-day trial of the Norton Internet Security Suite.
Pricing for the Windows 8 computers starts at $699 / €538 for the Gateway Windows 8 Core i5, 4GB RAM 500GB HDD Laptop Computer and goes as high as $1199 / €925 for the Gateway 23" Touchscreen LCD, Windows 8, Core i5, 6GB RAM, 1TB HDD All-in-One Desktop PC.