RSS$100 Laptop Close To Reality
By Ed Oswald | Published September 28, 2005, 5:19 PM
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says it is close to making available a laptop for developing markets that would cost around $100 USD. At a minimum the computer would feature a color screen, Wi-Fi, a 500MHz processor, and 1GB of flash memory.
The unit would even be able to generate power on it own through the use of a hand crank, making it useful even in areas where electricity is not readily available. Developing countries would be able to buy a laptop for every child, allowing new educational opportunities previously thought impossible.
"If you take any world problem, any issue on the planet, the solution to that problem certainly includes education," Nicholas Negroponte, founder of MIT's Media Lab, told attendees of Technology Review's Emerging Technology Conference. "In education, the roadblock is the laptop."
When first announced in January of this year, the project received corporate backing from AMD, Brightstar, News Corp., and Red Hat Linux.
Brazil, Thailand and Egypt have already expressed interest in purchasing up to a million units each, with several other countries inquiring about the program, Negroponte says.
MIT educational researchers say the computers would help students in math, planning and reasoning skills. Plus, with a connection to the Internet, students would be able to interact with the broader world community.
"I think there is good reason to believe that if everything were open, fewer bad things could happen," MIT educational theorist Seymour Papert told the MIT Technology Review. "So give everyone the tools to observe and communicate what is happening."
Several prototypes have been made, but researchers are still working on ways to get the retail cost of the unit down to $100 USD, and even lower in the future. One possible solution for a cheaper yet effective screen was to use the same technology found in today's portable DVD players.
Negroponte remains committed to the project until its successful completion, calling it "the most important thing I've ever done in my life."
http://www.infowars.com/...g_keystroke_loggers.htm
..."Computer manufacturers appear to be cooperating with the Department of Homeland Security to make every person who buys a new computer subject to immediate, unrestricted government recording of everything they do on those computers! EVERYTHING! ...."
(PHOTOS SHOW HARDWARE FOUND IN COMPUTERS AND LETTER FROM DHS IN RESPONSE)
Keylog hardware is installed in new computers and all info being sent to Homeland Security
----------
Now is it just me getting even more extraordinarily paranoid? ...........last week MIT annouces $100 laptops (and yes, we all know about the military funded labs of MIT)......San Francisco is trying to do free wireless access to all the boys and girls AND the above.............(free) hardware installed for the Big Brother's in DC....................it all just starts connecting up to the "master plan" of ultra spying on America.
I would think making sure everyone is online would make is so much easier for this White House regime to find the dissenters!
Beware of strangers bearing gifts!
Score: 0
|Excellent product concept- I hope they achieve their target! The uses for this device could exceed expectations- doubtless they could be used in place of PDAs in many instances, and further used for a variety of commercial applications.
I wonder if the display will be TFT or CSTN? CSTN are traditionally cheaper but the TFT panels have reduced so much in cost in the past yewar that it couls be either.
Linux is the perfect OS for this project too. Compact, stable, low cost, stable, not Winders, stable! THe crank to generate power is an excellent innovation also. Aside from being able to use the laptop in remote locations, it may grow an awareness that power reserves are finite and yes, why not power your laptop with a hamster wheel.
How much power would a million chubbies on exercise wheels generate?.....
Score: 0
|Where do I get on the customer's list?
Score: 0
|What's with all this "for emerging markets" stuff? I want one!
Score: 0
|hope to be introduced in market as soon as possible , willing to see a usb port in it and supporting for large hard disks.
Score: 0
|Such notebook could drop down the regular notebooks price, I see here in Egypt we buy notebooks only to do some simple but essential tasks that may not need speed but need mobility, buying a notebook for $1000 is about spending more than our avarage annual salary, this solution would be very genius.
Another way to think about it is this would be another gadget that you will buy to use without the fear that someone can steal it (low price) or access your personal information (which will be on another computer) with a power and usability better than high end PDAs
Score: 0
|would love one of these, wonder if theyl come with usb port, connect a 250gig external hdd, watch movies, no power supply to worry about, great for traveling.
Score: 0
|bravo!
Score: 0
|Some people missing the point. Sending your old crapped out laptop is not going to help if they have no power. In a poor country the very fact that these kids would be becoming computer literate would be amazing, even on Linux, makes no different. They would be able to use a computer for all sorts. The comment about no educational software, people would write it, they could learn to word process with Open Office. All for low low cost. Remember that what we see as a limited system is the best most powerfull machine these people would have ever seen.
As for people in your own country, again it would enable them to learn how to use computers. Giving them old pcs would not be a bad idea either as they are more likely to have access to a power supply of some sort.
Score: 0
|"In a poor country the very fact that these kids would be becoming computer literate would be amazing, even on Linux"
Especially on Linux =)
Score: 0
|"Sending your old crapped out laptop is not going to help if they have no power"
Not really true-- they're being used in African villages in the middle of nowhere: somebody in the village with any kind of car / farm vehicle / generator / etc. will jerry-rig the charging of others' laptop batteries for a modest fee.
Those poor folk are way more resourceful than "us yuppie scum". LOL
Score: 0
|Here is an idea. How about recycling all of those old laptops that we have all around us instead of sending them to some landfill by sending them to those countries? Even better yet, why not send them to OUR kids HERE, those that simply can't afford one? All that I'm seeing is a pile of useless computers that will be dead ends simply because they are so limited. This sounds more like some political glitter than anything else. Sorry to be so negative.
Score: 0
|I don't know, I think the idea behind this is kinda cute. Seriously though, if they are able to make this into a $100 cheap laptop, just think. If they add just a little more money into this, they could get a much more robust case, solar charger...water wheel, lol. Seriously though, with the right hardware additions, and maybe a usb port for using external drives...maybe make the laptop a little bigger. Yeah, this could be a usable laptop for anyone then. Make it so durable that you could drop it off a cliff and it won't break. Something like that. You know, militarize the quality.
Ha, you know. Even if a solar panel wouldn't be enough to fully power the laptop...it would be an interesting attachment to help add too the power...to marginally hold the charge to increase the battery life...something like that.
Has anyone noticed that I use far too many elipsis? I think I got that spelled right. (...)
Score: 0
|lol... I use lots of those...
...see?
Score: 0
|I don't think they fully thought this one out yet.
Who could afford only $100 for a computer but also have wi-fi internet?
Where's the cd/dvd rom?
Where will the poor people find a Linux geek to get the thing going?
Where do you find educational software for Linux?
Why set these people up with Linux in a world that uses Windows?
This is a toy.
Score: 0
|... a very nice, cheap toy. =)
Heck I'd buy one.
Score: 0
|Actually, like you said, lots of IT guys use linux and stuff, so pushing them towards it right from the start will get them aquainted with what they NEED to have competitive computer skills.
The appeal of WiFi is lots of companies are laying massive blankets out over large areas(mostly in the US). This is quite feasible in poor places such as Africa for example, because much of it is really flat.
What do you actually use CD's and DVD's for? Music, games, transfering files between computers? Why would they have to do any of these things?
Don't know where to find educational software for Linux, but a Linux geek probably does. :)
And yes, it's a toy for anyone in America, but for a kid that has to walk 10km to the school in the next town, it serves its purpose...education.
Score: 0
|So again what we have is a computer with a difficult operating system, no internet and no media capabilities.
What this will teach people in third world countries is that a real computer with real possibilities will cost more than $100.
A used Windows laptop with much more potential could be had for not much more.
With a modem.
With a cd-rom.
With an easy to use operating system like Windows XP.
With plenty of software easily available.
Score: 0
|Linux is just as easy as Windows. It was more difficult 3 years ago, and in some cases yes it's tough today. It's no more difficult than plugging a motorola phone into Windows and trying to figure out why it won't work. (1. no drivers, 2. If the Windows XP USB serial driver is already loaded it just doesn't work)
Plug that device into Linux, and open minicom and dial.
One is just as easy as the other. It's when you run into a problem that they BOTH can become a nightmare.
Score: 0
|Open hotspots are being more common (at least for now). Some cities are offering free or low cost Internet (Philadephia offering Wi-Fi for example) for their residents. You might have noticed the story on this site.
You can find education software for Linux. Try a Google search. http://www.google.com/se...ional+software%22+Linux
I would think that the laptop would already be setup and ready to go except for some personalisation.
If people learn to use Linux, then Microsoft will have to work harder to try to convince them to use MS products. That will benefit everyone (competition). They will also know that there is more than just Windows.
Score: 0
|dont worry, given time I am sure there will be a windows version available.. of course it would coust hunreds more and be less stable and run a lot slower, but thats the price you pay for useless bloatware :)
I on the other hand would buy up 5 of these babys :) 2 for myself and 3 as christmas presents. and *sniff sniff* become a linux geek instead of some clueless n00b mouse clicker and you can have one too!
Score: 0
|well most schools got Wi-Fi and the idea is education here *lol*
Great Idea ****ly laptop.
Score: 0
|the speed isnt that bad for office/school work for $100 thats good didnt see a option of dvd/cd reader hmmm the handle/strap turn powercable is kewl however wont it get damaged i think laptops are overpriced mine was around £800 which is expensive and was basic.. good price for a laptop though $100
Score: 0
|500MHz, 1GB of flash for $100 I could find uses for a few of them. I hope it's available without the crank option. LOL
EDIT: od=of
Score: 0
|Mmmm....200mb OS, and that leaves you with 800mb for learning and projects.
Wait - how big is Redhat in its smallest form?
Score: 0
|RedHat is for beginners. ;-)
I can get Linux down to 16MB complete with busybox and all sorts of neat stuff. Can't say that I haven't done it on more than a few devices.
Score: 0
|I know some school districts here in the US that would buy every student a laptop at that price, too. Frankly, this is so "American" we should be doing anything we can for MIT on this. It really only can spread freedom and intelligence through the world.
If we could get China to get on board...
Score: 0
|hrmm i had to double check if it was april fools day.......hrmmmmmmm
Score: 0
|An amazing computer with advanced technology, including a hand crank. LOL
Ok, jokes aside, that is pretty cool. Although really, smart phones/PDAs are already at that level...
...but at $100? Wow.
Score: 0
|Fantastic idea. Wonder what OS they can include in that price? *grin*
Score: 0
|I guess some sort of red hat linux os, since they're backing the project.
Score: 0
|So do they have Wi Fi access points that you have to cranks to power as well????
"Uh Oh, Tim, I am getting lag on Quake!!!! CRANK FASTER! I think the AP is going dead!"
Score: 0
|no the access points have pedals
Score: 0
|Hamster wheels, rows and rows of hamster wheels.
Score: 0
|mmmmm... hamsterssssss
Score: 0
|