Microsoft's Upcoming Cheap Windows Laptops to Counter Chromebook Threat

• Microsoft appears to have no intention to cede the low-end PC market to Google's Chromebookofferings, as it has announced HP, Acer, and Toshiba will soon unveil inexpensive Windows OS-based laptops at $199 and $249 price points.
• The news came from Kevin Turner, Microsoft COO, during the firm's Worldwide Partners Conference (via The Verge) held on Monday in Washington D.C.
• The cheapest of the announced laptops is HP's 'Stream', with a $199 price tag. Turner did not provide any details on the HP Stream's specifications, but did reveal the low-cost upcoming Acer and Toshiba laptops will feature 15.6-inch and 11.6-inch displays respectively. The Acer laptop will be powered by a 2.16GHz Intel Celeron processor, feature 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB HDD.