Cut-price laptops coming forth

If the now well-known $100 One Laptop per Child project appeals for its cheap-as-chips price, but you're not taken by the garish colour or crank-up handle, then you might consider the Medison Celebrity laptop, which retails for just $50 more. The Celebrity doesn’t pretend to be an Alienware-esque ultimate gaming machine, …

[Michael Davis]

This has to be a con!

4-6 weeks for delivery? Only 3 news articles on their website for the last 2 years, all of which re. this laptop and their 'manufacturing plant'? Swedish company but the only contact address is in Kent?

If its too good to be true it probably is........

[Jon Thompson]

Buyer beware

This is reported on a lot of sites (engadget, gizmodo etc) with updates that it has all the hallmarks of a scam.

Give it a few weeks, see if the site disappears or of anyone can actually contact these guys, then maybe go for it.

It's like everything else; if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

[Naich]

It is a con - probably

The general consensus on Slashdot is that this is a con.

[Peter W]

currency?

"If the now well-known £100 One Laptop per Child project appeals for its cheap-as-chips price, but you're not taken by the garish colour or crank-up handle, then you might consider the Medison Celebrity laptop, which retails for just $50 more."

The Medison Celebrity retails for around $150 (£73/€109) and will be available in Europe over the next four to six weeks.

Not sure if the author is aware but £100+$50 > $150.

/*end pedantry*

[Anonymous Coward]

RE: This has to be a con!

Agreed!! On Slashdot (where I first saw the story) there is much comment about it:

Here's a sample:

1) Domain name registered in april 07, for a term of ONE YEAR, how many hardware companies do you know who put up a domain for 1 year? Obviously only the companies that don't expect to be in business for a second year.

2) The contacts are at hotmail. Okay, that's not good. Usually a hardware company would register itself with a DBA company name instead of a "Valdi Ivancic [e-mail]", leaving human name contacts for administrative and technical contacts.

3) The site hoster.... Surf-net charges .99# / year....with low setup fee, smells fishy....someone's going the cheap route about their corporate site.

4) company can't afford a fax? Interesting.

at least the scammer hasn't used anonymity services during registration.

[Bill Coleman]

scamware

Check out the discussion at engaget: http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/25/medison-celebrity-150-of-linux-laptop-for-the-people/2#comments

(read down past the mac flame)

Sounds like this Kem-Erik guy's learned a few tricks from Stephen Coen!!

[James Burns]

Con, or no con?

There are dozens of discussions knocking around about this Medison Celebrity - most of them claiming that it's a scam, a quick Google will turn them up.

Interestingly enough, the payment processing place offers a degree of security, though it's not much of a relief.

I dunno... Everything about this screams scam, but something inside tells me that it's not. I'm not prepared to put my money where my mouth is though!

[Mat Garraway]

Scam

the general consensus on Digg and Slashdot is that this is in fact a scam.

[A. Lewis]

I think I'll pass on this one.

This was on /. earlier, and several of the commentators there pointed out various suspicious things about that company and their site.

[Dave]

Not the Best Distribution

I wouldn't have chosen Fedora for a consumer product, simply because in a couple of years time it'll run out of support and the user will have to negotiate the fun and games of an upgrade to a newer distribution. OK, it's relatively easy to do but I can't quite see Granny managing it.

[Anonymous Coward]

Shame no research

It is is a con, look at the slashdot article on the same thing.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Medison was founded 1996"

"Medison was founded 1996" yeah... right... Medison Europe Limited was incorporated on 13/07/2007 according to Companies House.

Still, looks like a nice laptop. If I can get Windows + LookOut Express to work on it, it'll do nicely for my 66 year-old dad.

[A. Merkin]

Best Computer EVER!

You guys don't know what your talking about, the Celebrity is simply the the most innovative computer ever made!

Now I'm not a Medison "fanboi", but Valdi Ivancic is a God! Anyone who doesn't own one of these babies in the first 3 months is a complete luser (and probably a fat sweaty luser with no sense of style).

All the other companies and "tech geeks" are just jealous because they didn't think of this first, and couldn't pull it off with such style even if they did.

Plus, even if it is a scam, and/or the computer stops working after a week *it's only $150*!!!!

Don't be a luser; BUY IT!!!

[Mark]

Sure its a Scam?

I'm not convinced this is a scam, the company has a further website

http://www.medison.se/

registered for over 3 years, but it does say in business since 1996. web hosting is cheap, but if it works, why pay more? plus that would run with their idea of being cheap

We'll just have to wait and see

[Anonymous Coward]

LOL

Two things made me laugh on here.

1) LookOut Express

2) The crap comment by the called "A.Merkin" (look that up on dictionary.com)

[Jocke Segerlund]

Scam signs

* This company has a product that will revolutionize the market and are actually claiming to have a laptop that is cheaper than OLPC? They even claim to make money on the business.

* The businesses that are supposed to handle shipping to consumers as well as service were not aware of Medison until a few days ago.

* On their web they claim that VAT and shipping is not included in the price, but in forums the frontman is claiming the opposite.

* All 6 companies under the Medison-name that has been registered in sweden since 1996 has gone bankrupt, but on the site they claim 11 successful years.

* On the site they claim to have factories in Bazil and later on they deny it.

* They have sold this laptop since march in sweden, for a price of 450$ and all who claims to have placed orders are still waiting for delivery.

* When they released info about their fantastic prize they had a lot of banners from partners on their site, banners that has been pulled by companies who say that they have nothing to do with Medison.

* Their Terms of Use & Privacy is a rip from Apple

* Founder has no income, no capial and no real estate

* Why advertize Windows Live Messenger on a site for a laptop that only ships with Linux?

* Why launch this during the time in Sweden where all is more or less closed due to vacation and almost nothing can be verified?

* Howcome a smalltime swede claims to be able to make this venture possible and even financially viable when Asus cannot?

* All this adds up to very good reason to be careful

Sadly Swedish mainstream media has reported that this is viable and many unsuspecting Mr & Mrs Swede is placing orders. Forums all over are claiming this is a scam and media refuses to change their view on this, thus luring more and more to give this scammers money.

[Andy White]

This is a SCAM

I wasn't to sure about this. I done a bit of poking around the web and would suggest any prospective buyers to do so also. Especially interesting is the link to "Medison Europe Limited" from the MedisonCelebrity website. This reveals that:-

1. The contact address for a European (/ Global) company is a house in kent:

27 Ruffets Wood

Gravesend, Kent

DA12 5JQ England

2. Google maps confirm this; I suggest any prospect buyer look at this.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&q=

3. Very interesting is the UKDATA.COM company search & the creditgate.com search:- creditgate finds 4 companies registered to this address; UKDATA.COM finds 224 companies; yes, 224! - this house must be as big as a small town.

- Can El Reg please investigate this before too many of the readers lose £77 +

[Adrian Jones]

I'm almost tempted.

To get a new credit card, with a low limit, and order one of these.

Then see what, if anything turns up in 4-6 weeks.

At least the CC company would refund the money if it's a scam. If they're stealing CC details, then a virgin card would be ideal.

Hmm. Have to be a Mastercard, they've screwed me enough in the past...