Bridging the Digital Divide With PCtvt?

maddu writes "Dr. Raj Reddy, a pioneering researcher in artificial intelligence and a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, plans to unveil his new project, called the PCtvt, later this year - it's a $250 wirelessly networked personal computer intended for the four billion people around the world who live on less than $2,000 a year, according to the NYT (free reg. req.) He says his device can find a market in developing countries, particularly those with large populations of people who cannot read, because it can be controlled by a simple TV remote control and can function as a television, telephone and videophone." We've previously covered the somewhat conceptually related Simputer.

Comments

Does this cover all transmission formats

[grunt107]

This is assuming manufacture for all countries formats -

Since there are no universal broadcasting formats, how is the internal TV tuner would need to be unique to country. If that country has no TV broadcasts yet would this PC then drive the creation of said format?

Same question for the power conversion - each country's format would need mfg'd (or sent w/inverter increasing the code). For the startup countries - "here ya go!!".

Re:greeeaaat.

[HotNeedleOfInquiry]

No problem, Then we can hire 250,000 clueless 3rd world tech support people to answer the calls.