A PC brand that started out as a way to sell Windows desktops at very cheap prices is officially no more. eMachines, which was acquired by Acer a number of years ago, is being ditched by the company in favor of two other brands it has bought over the years, Gateway and Packard Bell.
PCWorld.com reports that an Acer statement seems to suggest that with the discontinuation of eMachines, Acer"s two remaining sub-brands could expand their product portfolio. It said, "As computing devices are used in new ways, both on the go and throughout the home, Gateway and Packard Bell will adapt their product portfolios to meet these needs." Gateway PCs are sold in North America and Asia, while Packard Bell PCs are sold in Europe.
eMachines was founded in the U.S. in 1998, and starting by selling desktop PCs that were a few hundred dollars cheaper than those usually sold by the main PC makers of the time. Usually, PCs made by eMachines had lower hardware specifications than the competition as well.
In 2004, Gateway acquired eMachines for $30 million. In 2007 Acer came in and bought all of Gateway, including the eMachines brand, for $710 million. The eMachines website will remain online to offer customer support for those people who bought an eMachines PC before the shutdown.
Source: PCWorld.com | Image via Acer