Small business gets low-cost PC

NEC announced the release of its PowerMate series, its latest line of build-to-order PCs designed for the small business.

The PowerMate line will start as low as $1,250 and come preinstalled with Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Edition software.

Along with the prepackaged Office 97, the PowerMate line comes with Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0 as options. Other software includes Intel's Client Manager and Traveling Software's remote access software Laplink.

The PowerMate comes powered by a 200-MHz Pentium or a 233-MHz Pentium II, and includes a 3.2 to 6.4GB hard drive, a CD-ROM drive, and an Ethernet card for network access.

Small business computers are generally designed to be "plug-and-play" computers that are packaged so they can be networked easily.