Some of our Certified Laptop Distribution Agents are moving to desktop replacement laptops, because there is more profit potential in these types of laptops, and, more and more professional business people are getting rid of their regular PCs, (i.e. desktops) and just getting by using a desktop replacement laptop…no wires…all wireless, but, as we shall see, these are just as possible as a “powerful desktop PC!”
The off-load divisions you’ll work with after you are Certified do have these types of laptops. That is, 100% operational and functional but with very small (factory assy line induced) cosmetic flaws. So, they are not accepted by the US based vendors – Frys, Best Buy, etc –but www.mobile-workforce101.com does take them; because of the “headaches” caused when these high profile retail outlets “put them on a shelf for eyeballs to see.”
A lot of our Certified Agents concentrate on a certain market segment when liquidating these factory off-loaded desktop replacement laptops. For example, some cater to the individual or business that’s performing a lot of video creation; editing video, converting to/from different video formats, uploading large video files to a web site (even you-tube!) and outputting video to various digital devices. Desktop replacement laptops are very powerful, more expensive that value, or, all purpose laptops, so they can easily perform the above mentioned “chores.”
A Hong Kong based value and budget based mfgr that we work with, DFGRT Ghioussou Ltd. is now getting into the manufacture of desktop replacements, and generally has batches available; usually minimum order is 25 to 35 laptops; most will have Vista or Windows XP; sometimes Linux.
They are at 38/F, Office Tower, Convention Plaza, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong; the manufacturing all is based in mainland China.
Their newest desktop replacement is the IOT-DIV- XVC-112 model; the US based retail price is $1,350 to $1455. For Certified Distribution Agents, cost is usually about $235 to $255 per laptop. Certification required, and strict adherence to their marketing guidelines; minimum batch, as mentioned, usually 30 laptops or so.
A couple of negatives: The 17- IOT-DIV- XVC-112 is on the slow side in office applications and suffers from short battery life, but it gets the basic office work done and is a fast gamer laptop too. If a budget desktop replacement laptop capable of running decent big-screen computer games is on your buyer’s list of “wants,” this AMD-powered laptop is a nice choice at $1350.
Equipped with a 2.2-GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-64 processor, 4GB of RAM, 256MB of discrete graphics memory, and a 4200-rpm 250GB hard drive, the IOT-DIV- XVC-112 earned a lot of praise, from our Agent’s buyers. And the Certified Agents did receive nice profit gains too.
In our gaming tests here at Mobile-Workforce101, the IOT-DIV- XVC-112 posted marks of 83 and 87 frames per second in advanced games, at 1024 b768 resolution. Images looked good and played smoothly on the big, bright 1440-by-900-pixel screen; but our test unit, with its 256MB Radeon HD 2600 graphics card, performed just below average for the category.
At 7.9 pounds the IOT-DIV- XVC-112 is a little heavy, but it’s nice-looking if your buyers don’t mind the big DFGRT Ghioussou Ltd. logo imprinted on its dark blue lid. The dropped-hinges design gives the rear of the laptop a sleek look. Aside from lacking Bluetooth wireless connectivity, it’s also well equipped for the price, including six USB ports. The Del key is buried in the number pad, but otherwise typing is a breeze.
A set of CD and DVD control buttons and integrated Harman/Kardon speakers add to the the IOT-DIV- XVC-112 attractiveness as an entertainment notebook. The case tends to vibrate a bit when the sound is turned all the way up, and the volume wheel is not very responsive, but those are minor complaints. The audio is rich and full.
OF COURSE, IF SELLING ON-LINE, AS OPPOSED TO “FACE-TO-FACE” SALES, INFORM YOUR BUYERS THAT THE UNITS ARE SLIGHTLY COSMETICALLY FLAWED, DUE TO FACTORY MISTAKE, NOT BECAUSE THE LAPTOP IS USED! YOU WANT YOUR BUYERS TO RETURN TO YOU OVER THE MONTHS/YEARS FOR MORE EQUIPMENT, UPGRADES, SERVICE, LEASES, ETC.
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The standard desktop replacement you’ll acquire from the off-load divisions is an excellent multi-media desktop replacement laptop. You can market these to your business buyers or, to the home user too! They offer many innovative features which will immediately convert many of your potential buyers into real buers. However, like any batch we receive from the off-loads, these laptops do have some flaws.
A close examination of all the features and flaws of the typical factory off-loaded desktop replacement laptop will give you some indication if this is the laptop for your buyers, especially if they are in the market for a PC desktop replacement.
For example, Boldstar Industry Co., Ltd, a China based supplier to Certified Agents we have worked with for over four years, is making out very well in the niche mkt of supplying desktop replacements to the US market.
They have a popular unit, the Fire-Port-XCT-222, that is a nice unit for you to acquire and liquidate to businesses and individual alike.
A long time mfgr-off-load operation is Boldstar Industry Co LTD., located at
No. 3409, Zhonfgghuan Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China Shenzhen/Guansgdong China….Their Canadian based off-load facility is at:
4778 Chevroiun Cres., Scaborough, Ontario, Canada
Post Code: M4K 3B4
Our CEO, Steve Jones, recently visited the vice-president of Boldstar Industry Co., Ltd., Ms. Winnie Wong, and came away with a batch of 2,775 of the new Fire-Port-XCT-222 units; each was slightly flawed in the glossy surface required by the vendor (Best Buy). The upper right case-to-frame mate segment was not glossy at all – the rest of the frame-case join area was though. We off-loaded these units easily to an Insurance company that’s located in Chicago.
The Fire-Port-XCT-222 laptop was recently introduced by Boldstar Industry Co to compete in the lucrative PC marketplace.
Giving the Fire-Port-XCT-222 a closer, we will examine the pros and cons of this new multi-media desktop replacement.
The Fire-Port-XCT-222 looks good. This laptop has style. It lives up to its name. But, of course, the laptop models you’ll acquire once Certified, will have:
Slight case scratches
Mars
Indentations
Pigment off-sets
Irregularities in case-to-frame “curves,”
small non-glossy areas on the frame-to-bezel mating section
and other insignificant cosmetic irregularities.
They will all be 100% operational and functional though. Note: the factories and off-load divisions we work with subject these off-loads to a very stringent testing process, way before they are released to the off-load divisions, for eventual acquisition by you, a Certified Distribution Agent.
The Fire-Port-XCT-222 is black with a matte silver interior off-set with a black keyboard. The design is sleek, simple and clean. Everything fits very nice!
Sporting the new Intel Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz processor on a 130GB SATA (5400 RPM) hard drive with a 667MHz FSB or System Bus. The Fire-Port-XCT-222 is pre-loaded with 2 Gig of RAM (expandable to 4 Gigs). You probably already know RAM is the main factor in determining the speed of your computer.
Plus, with a 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 graphics card this laptop will easily handle all business applications and will even handle many of the older games. The NVIDIA’s GeForce Go 7300 video processor has 128 MB of dedicated memory and can ‘borrow’ extra memory from the system’s RAM with Turbo Cache. Up to 512 MB of total video memory.
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As a Laptop distribution Agent, now you know that laptops come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, each with its own set of pros and cons. While the smallest laptops are the most portable (and often the “coolest”-looking), they also have smaller keyboards and displays, fewer features, and slower performance than their bulkier brethren. Conversely, more full-featured laptops are generally more difficult to carry and take up more space on your desk and in your bag.
Until they make the perfect laptop, you’ll have to sacrifice something, so think about what’s most important to your buyers—computing power, a complete set of features, long battery life, good looks, a small form factor, or a low price.
To choose the right notebook for your buyers, whatever business they are in, —one with the right set of features at the right price—you’ll need to figure out how they’ll want to use the machine. Match their needs to one of these user profiles to get started.
User Types: home user » student » frequent flier » business power user » multimedia author or gamer
Home user
Home users are increasingly turning to notebooks as their primary PCs; they like that laptops can offer similar performance and features to those of a desktop PC and can be easily moved from room to room. Many of our Certified distribution Agents sell ONLY to these types of users!
Though of course almost any notebook will do for typical home use, there are two types of notebooks most suitable for home users: midsize notebooks, which tend to be budget-friendly, and desktop replacements, which are usually packed with features.
Key Features
AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core Duo, or Intel Core 2 Duo
At least 1GB of memory
Large hard drive for storing digital photos and video
14.1-inch display or larger
Fixed or swappable DVD burner
Wired and wireless networking
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Apple Mac OS X
Frequent flier
If your buyers spend a lot of time on the road, size and weight are the two most critical factors in choosing a new notebook—even if it means sacrificing a little on performance and features. The smallest and lightest notebooks, ultraportables, weigh less than four pounds and are no thicker than a spiral-bound notebook.
Key Features
AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core Solo, or Intel Core Duo
At least 1GB of memory
A 13.3-inch display or smaller
Wired and wireless networking
Extended battery for those cross-country flights
Media slice or external CD-RW/DVD drive
Port replicator for the desk
Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Business power user
If your buyers rely on the same notebook at work, at home, and on the road, they need a well-balanced system. And it has to deliver the performance to keep up with a wide range of applications. A thin-and-light is just the ticket.
Key Features
AMD Turion 64 X2 or Intel Core 2 Duo
At least 1GB of memory, preferably 2GB for Windows Vista
Midsize hard drive
A 14-inch or 15.4-inch display
Dual-layer DVD burner
Wired and wireless networking
Extra battery
Microsoft Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate
Multimedia Author or Gamer
If your buyers (wherther corporate, small business, or home user) demand more from a notebook, they’ll need a true desktop replacement. (see section above) Whether they’re designing a Web site, editing home movies, or mowing down aliens, their notebook will demand a powerful processor, plenty of memory, great graphics, with the new mobile-workforce101 help formum too. And also a healthy hard drive.
Key Features
AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core 2 Duo, or Intel Core 2 Extreme
2GB or more of memory
A 15.4-inch display or larger
Advanced graphics card with 256MB or 512MB of its own memory or dual SLI graphics
The largest and fastest hard drive available
Dual-layer DVD burner, possibly HD-DVD or Blu-Ray compatible
Multimedia connectors, such as S-Video, HDMI, FireWire, S/PDIF
External keyboard and mouse
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, or Apple Mac OS X
Tags: certified distribution agents, desktop replacement laptops, mini notebooks
