Today’s April 8th, which is a big day for Windows users. We not only received the Windows 8.1 Update today, but also the end of support to one of the most popular operating system ever released — Windows XP. Yes, from today onwards, Microsoft will no longer provide any further updates, security patches, etc., to Windows XP users, which means they are at risk. Many businesses have purchased extended support from Microsoft at hefty prices, while others are on the verge of upgrading.
This also means Microsoft’s competitors will try to steal away some of the customers during the whole migration process, offering attractive deals. Google is no different and has been trying to push its own operating system — Chrome OS. Recently, it was reported that London Borough UK made the move to Chromebook, and now Google is offering more incentives for other business to make a switch to Chromebooks by offering a discount as high as $200 for Chromebooks for Business with VMWare Desktop, along with a bundle of services from Citrix and VMWare to make the transition simpler.
“It’s time for a real change, rather than more of the same. Chromebooks for Business offers you a secure and easy-to-use computing experience, along with a central web-based management console and lower total cost of ownership,” says Amit Singh, President of Google Enterprise.
Google notes that nearly 30% of desktops still running Windows XP are in a tough spot, having to upgrade due to significant security and privacy risks. Google wants to accelerate the migration process by offering Windows XP users a sweet deal on a Chromebook. “With more adoption of business web apps, companies are making the switch from Windows XP to Chromebooks. Google Docs, Sheets and Slides work online or offline. Quickoffice is built into every Chromebook and Cisco is bringing WebEx to Chromebooks soon,” Google explained.
The deals mentioned are valid until June 30, and it seems Google expects to pick up a few corporate customers. What do you think about this promotion? Can they take away some confused Windows XP users?
