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Working Model of MIT $100 Laptop a Hit

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the encheapening dept.

capt turnpike writes "The One Laptop per Child association and its chairman, MIT Media Labs's Nicholas Negroponte, unvelied a working model of their $100 laptop at the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange (MITX) show, and the little laptop that might was a hit. It's got a version of Fedora Linux, is rugged, and each unit will work as part of a wireless mesh automatically. From the article: "However, as Negroponte put it in his address, One Laptop per Child isn't all about the laptops. The main goal is to tap into the ability of every child to toss away a manual and figure out how to make gadgets work on their own, thus helping children help themselves to learn." eWEEK.com also has photos."

12 of 440 comments (clear)

  1. $130 by mopslik · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't that the $130 laptop? Or did they manage to bring the cost back down?

    1. Re:$130 by marcog123 · · Score: 5, Informative

      From the caption of the first pic:

      "According to Negroponte, the $100 laptop will initially cost around $135 and he expects the price to drop to $50 by 2010."

  2. Just for third world counties? by agent+dero · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This isn't trolling or anything, I am still in American public schooling (public uni.), and this quote struck me as odd.

    The main goal is to tap into the ability of every child to toss away a manual and figure out how to make gadgets work on their own, thus helping children help themselves to learn.

    I'm in an engineering degree, and I'm shocked at the lack of this ability in college students at american schools! I'm tickled by the fact that we're so set on helping foreign education, when our own educational system is in dire need of....some bloody education.

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  3. This will all be worthwhile by dr_dank · · Score: 5, Funny

    This will all be worthwhile when we have first African child get first post on Slashdot (and then gets modded down. Welcome to the interweb, n00b!).

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  4. It's not a toy / specs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I was there at the event and got to try it after Nick spoke. It is definitely not a toy. He said people might be able to buy one in the U.S. next year (paying double so half could buy a kid in another country one). It was very light and the screen (which has two modes) was really nice (1200 x 900). The orange plastic was cool and the little rabbit ears (looked almost like devil horns) move freely to get optimal wi-mesh signal. It's definitely Fedora, but is "skinny" as it has been modified somewhat.

    The specs?

    500 Mhz chip
    128 MB RAM
    512 MB Flash Memory

  5. Re:Food? by Tweekster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not everything is about the very bottom of the impoverished ladder.

    This is for children that have overcome the daily quest for food.

    Why do people insist on thinking this is for children that dont have any food and live in ditches.
    Not every poor person falls into that category.

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  6. Re:OMG THE SICKENING COLOR! :) by 99BottlesOfBeerInMyF · · Score: 5, Informative

    Seriously, aren't bright reds and oranges supposed to make you a little nuts if you're surrounded by them too much?

    Not really. Colors have different effects depending upon the culture. For example, Americans tend to associate orange with hunger, but in the far East it is considered soothing. Some colors do have cross-cultural implications, like splatters of red increasing blood pressure and stress, but those are usually less prominent. Offering a variety of colors provides options for different regions.

  7. Re:butt-ugly, but by Kesch · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, the crank idea seems to be trashed now. Plans seem to be for a foot-pedal device. I will of course do the hamster-in-a-wheel mod.

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  8. It has to be said.... by penguin_dance · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yay, now that Nigerian prince can email me directly!

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  9. Re:Why just third world? by israel_zayas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    [quote]I know schools here in the US who can't even put a computer on the desk of any of the kids; many share 5 crummy machines between two (or more) classes. There are many places here that could use these things; I don't understand why there is no interest in marketing them right here. It seems like having electronic books would be cheaper/easier too [/quote]

    Forgive me for saying this, but:
    b/c those same kids have PSP's, Ipods and cell phones... If their parents wont buy them a computer why should the public give them one for free.

  10. Re:Teach a kid to fish... by sharkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I code to the finich, 'cuz I eats me spinach, I'm PERLeye the Recursion Man!" *printf-printf*

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  11. Re:For the children by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The other big thing I see here is a screen that works under sunlight. Why can't I have that on my $3500 Thinkpad?