$100.00 Laptop.

[Eamonn]

I read the details about the $100.00 Laptop.

http://msn-cnet.com.com/The+100+laptop+moves+closer+to+reality/2100-1044_3-5884683.html?part=msn-cnet&subj=ns_3-5884683&tag=msn_home.

I think it's a wonderful idea.

What I don't understand is why we can't make this available to students in the USA?

What am I missing?

Eamonn.

That link isn't working - Try:

http://laptop.media.mit.edu/(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

[scoutingagain]

It will be. I don't know the details but an article in a local paper indicated Massachusetts would be purchasing some for inner city schools. It is apparently not available to individuals for purchase.

SA(This message has been edited by scoutingagain)

[packsaddle]

The local university mandates that all incoming students purchase a notebook computer that meets certain specifications. The specifications are established to make sure that the computer will not be obsolete before 3-4 years have passed, and to guarantee compatibility with the campus-wide wireless network. Other considerations are added for students going into math, science, or engineering because of the greater requirement for computational power and speed.

The price of these machines continues to fall if one considers a fixed standard of performance. But new developments in science and technology demand increasingly high performance so the price seems to remain nearly constant (while performance increases).

If MIT has developed an inexpensive display, that would be a great contribution to lessen the cost. And I have long championed the open source Linux version of Unix as a superior operating system (Apple Computer has seen the pixels on this as well).

Computers are becoming disposable commodities and the $100 version may offer great opportunities to those merely seeking internet access. However, I think its best contribution to the student will be to help drive down the price for the more powerfull notebook computers they will need to purchase.

[madkins007]

The super-cheap 'computer on every desk' computer has been a goal of many groups for years. The article is absolutely right- a lot of a modern computer is 'fat'.

 

But fat sells computers! The majority of innovations in recent years have been driven by the perceieved need to run graphics, games, movies, etc. 'better'.

 

We've known for years that we could recycle older computers into good workstations for lower-income groups and that there is a nice selection of cheap software they could use. They'd do homework, Internet, e-mail, and even work with Word and other files perfectly well. We can use 'not new' PDAs for many of the same functions!

 

But who would do it? There is almost no profit involved. Who would collect, sort, test, reconfigure, load, distribute and train for all the computers you would need to do? Its a pretty large job just for a single decent sized school!

 

As far as building and selling a decent $100 NEW machine? Where is the profit incentive for a big maker? The customer probably won't buy any software, accessories, etc. that hardware makers depend on.

[mdutch]

How about the hand crank for the electricity?

 

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8DUBBQG0.htm?campaign_id=apn_tech_down&chan=tc

[OldGreyEagle]

Have it MP3 capable and receive podcasts and most kids will come up with 500 for it

[Merlyn_LeRoy]

There's more information here: http://laptop.media.mit.edu

 

If it's eventually sold in the US, it would probably cost more than $100, as they're projecting manufacturing costs of $110 per unit, and sell individual units to subsidize the project. But the minimum order at the start is 1 million units.

 

Kid-sized (about 2/3 the size of a normal laptop), ~500MHz AMD CPU, 1GB flash storage built-in, ~1 megapixel display, unknown amount of RAM, 4 USB ports, wi-fi mesh networking, open source linux, will run about an hour minutes on 10 minutes of cranking (there's also an AC adapter).

 

No manufacturers signed up yet, but a few are interested.

[evmori]

There is a Goodwill store in Pittsburgh that has a separate shop designated to refurb old PC's for the lower income people. Not sure if they sell them or give them away. I plan on donating a couple old CRT monitors I have. Better than dumping them in a landfill.

 

Ed Mori

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1 Peter 4:10