Eye Current

$10 Laptops!!!

Initially, computer executives scoffed at the idea of building $10 laptops for children in developing countries. With screens costing upwards of a $100, how could you produce a laptop for that price?

Fortunately Ms. Mary Lou Jepsen, who is a former Intel chip designer, figured out that by modifying laptop displays you could lower the cost to around $40. This also resulted in a reduced power consumption of 80 percent, and a display that is even visible in sunlight.

The nonprofit project One Laptop Per Child has accepted this proposition along with many other designs that others have contributed, to make the goal of giving millions of students in developing countries access to not only a great learning tool but also the Internet and basically the world. So far the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Libya, India, Nigeria, and Thailand; have committed to provide these laptops to their students. And with production expected to start in mid-2007 by Quanta Computer this commitment will soon become a reality for millions of students.

Although the laptop does not include a hard drive (it uses solid state memory 500MB, which has no moving parts and is cost effective), or Microsoft Windows (uses the readily available Linux OS); it will be able to use many different methods to connect to the Internet. With the use of satellite downlinks, long range Wi-Fi antennas, or utilizing current cellular data networking the laptop will be able to connect and use the Internet in almost any condition or country. And if none of that helps your connection, you still have the option of getting closer to someone who has a laptop with a connection, because each laptop can become an Internet repeater letting the Internet flow from one computer to another up to a third of a mile. The users are able to use a map like view of others who are connected nearby. Imagine an endless string of laptops connecting to one another, and it just keeps growing.

As for battery power, that’s a whole different monster. Knowing that at some point the laptops will need to recharge in places where power outlets are not a common sight the designers have pocketed a few alternatives such as a foot pedal and a hand-pulled device that resembles a salad spinner.

This train seems like its never derailing.

With added features such as a video-camera lens, it will still include a low-fi web browser, a word processor and a growing number of learning programs.

The goal being a $10 laptop, currently the cost is close to $45. As good as a hardy, low-tech, Internet anywhere laptop sounds there are no plans to make it available to consumers. Quite honestly I’ll stick to my Mac G5.

posted by James B. @ 9:47 AM