First '$100 Laptops' Sold to Uruguay
The tiny green and white, $100 XO notebook has been in development by the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation for years, but the device, intended to bring computing to children around the world, has only now received its first official order. The government of Uruguay has purchased 100,000 devices for children 6-8-years-old. If things go well, the South American country's government has indicated another 300,000 may be purchased as well.
The OLPC XO laptop was made famous as a supposed '$100 laptop,' intended to be sold for just a Benjamin apiece. The idea was that children in developing nations everywhere would be using the things. Additionally, its rugged, simple, and completely integrated design made it a perfect computer for nations lacking solid infrastructure (it can even be powered via solar electricity, a foot crank, or even a pull-string generator). Additionally, the devices can communicate wirelessly and can daisy-chain and share central connections, meaning laptops on the edge of town may be able to connect to Internet access points that would otherwise be out of range.
While we earlier mentioned that Mexico's Carlos Slim was offering to purchase a million laptops for his country's children, the government of Uruguay is the first to actually step up with the cash to buy the things. Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of the OLPC foundation, recently said: "I have to some degree underestimated the difference between shaking the hand of a head of state and having a check written."
Perhaps this is why there aren't more tech-savvy politicians?
From BBC News
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jenny said 6:38AM on 3-12-2008
Is there anyone here that can/will give me there opinion of the *other* operating systems? All I have ever had or even seen is the Windows & Mac. I'm disabled and mostly in a wheelchair. So...is the Green PC or the $100.00 laptop worth the money? Thanks in advance for your opinion.
Jr
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Will said 12:48AM on 3-13-2008
What is ironic is that I believe that owners of old computers running Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows XP can install the software they purchased, along with their old computer, on this new computer so long as they do not continue to use the Windows software on their old computer. This is a great idea if you can upgrade to a better computer and use your old operating system! Provided that you don't continue to use Windows on your old machine. This way one can upgrade their hardware!
Will Monif in Omaha, a Mac user myself though
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jason said 12:47AM on 3-13-2008
no jenny there crap and not woth the cash spent, i can build a good stable pc for roughly $250 U.S. dollars and it would be 10 times better than those. if your disabled you can actually get one cheap(roughly $80) and possably free. send me an email and ill try to get you hooked up with a place that gives free computers to elderly or disabled ppl. but i wouldn't suggest buying those, the only thing good about it is that it has linux which is for more advanced users.
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Alan Lantzer said 11:45AM on 10-30-2007
Declaring computers the work of international "terrists," President George W. Bush announced plans for an immediate invasion of Iceland. "I thought you were going to ask me about the pig," the President said earlier today.
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code reduction said 10:50AM on 11-27-2007
At first, it was a good project, but now, asus is on the market with his 701, less than $299, good quality, design and performance, what is the future of the olpc... don't know, but asus's future will be better.
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