The Sub-$100 Laptop?

Vollernurd writes "The BBC is carrying this article detailing Nick Negroponte's plans to deveop and distribute a sub-$100 notebook computer. It would be very basic and stripped down and be used in developing countries as a way of distributing school books and such. Interesting to see how they will cut costs. Yes, it does run Linux." You can read another slashdot story about this machine when it was discussed on Red Herring awhile ago.

Comments

Only selling them to governments

[quokkapox]

I heard that they are only going to sell them to governments.

So it will be a day or two's delay until you can grab one off eBay.

Re:Not just developing countries

[theVP]

all I would end up paying for is the price of mobility, really. I could care less how it performs at a price like that. Definitely wouldn't use it for my primary system, but for a CHEAP mobile secondary, why the hell not?

And I really like this guy's motivation for this. I think it just goes to show that technological gurus aren't money grubbers by nature.

Re:Not just developing countries

[tomhudson]

This is awsome. I wish they'd make a for profit version similar to this in the $150-200 range.

Just ask for your cash discount.

You can always find *someone* to sell you a brand new notebook for $150-$200. And, yes, they're making a nice profit ($150-$200).

Lots of your inner cities already have such discount retail programs.

The machines come with Windows pre-installed. Most of them even come with user data pre-installed.

They'll even make same-day delivery (some will even let you order the particular make/model you want).

Ain't capitalism grand. [tt]

Re:Not just developing countries

[ArsonSmith]

Some will even sell you the one you lost last week. I've seen the program before. It's great.

Meanwhile, on eBay

[XxtraLarGe]

Looking at old PowerBooks (Pre-PowerPC), you can get several color screen PowerBooks for under $50. Many have a built in modem or Ethernet, you can run Adobe Acrobat to handle PDF's and it will also support Internet Explorer for web stuff. I am sure there are comparable Windows laptops selling for the same price or less. IMHO, we really should be making an effort to use older computers with proven hardware/software first before manufacturing newer computers for people who have never owned them before.

As an IT Director in education

[TeeJS]

I have to admit that I currently hate laptops. Part of it is that they are expensive and fragile, but mainly because when someone can carry a computer about with them, it becomes "MINE" - they assume they can do whatever they want with it. I could envision using these as a mobile lab or textbook running off of a LTSP type host, but otherwise I'd be afraid at the upkeep time needed for them - even running Linux!