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AMD Cuts Personal Internet Communicator
DaGiants writes "AMD has killed the Personal Internet Communicator (PIC), one of the first major efforts at designing ultra low-cost PCs for the third world. Ars Technica reports that AMD decided to pull the plug, taking a loss on the project. AMD can't be too disappointed though, as the OLPC uses AMD's Geode x86 processor, and delivers a lot more for much less. While OLPC gets most of the attention these days, AMD's role in spurring interest in low-cost PCs for developing nations can't be overlooked."
Considering that low-end desktop computers (w/ monitors and software) are now running in the $300 range from large computer vendors, it's tough to make a business case for selling $250 computers to third world countries ... so it sounds like they made the right decision. Either that, or they realized that since even Negroponte's $140 alternative wasn't really catching on, there'd be no way that a $250 machine would.
Crack - Free with every butt and set of boobs
Geode is a baseline platform good for set top boxes and kiosks, it fails it as a true PC computing platform.
Hello. I'm writing this from AMD K5 100 MHz. Yes. 100 MHz.
8MB RAM.
Do you think it's impossible to use? It's certainly not the machine I use for 3D and Photoshop design, but still I managed to get ermm "informed" by Slashdot, and post a responce.
How powerful a Geode is? It's certainly better than AMD K5 100 MHz.
You get the right to make fun of Hector when you have achieved 1% of what this guy has achieved. This is a guy born in Mexico who travelled across the border everyday to attend high school in Texas, went from no English knowledge to valedectorian of his high school gradiuation class in 4 years, finished a bachelors and a PhD in engineering (Yes he is a real techie unlike the slashdot script kiddies who took a 6 week course during the boom and call themselves IT professionals and now that they are unemployed spend their time bitching on Slashdot)
This is also a guy who has taken AMD and turned it into a lean mean green machine which ate Intel's lunch.
When you do something with your life other than bitching than you can make fun of him
**Life is too short to be serious**
I would invest in a communications infrastructure to support them. Ground up wireless phone, computer, TV, and anything else that can be broadcast.
But, before I did that I would build a transportation infrastructure, so there were roads everywhere people wanted to go and goods could be moved from one place to another efficiently.
I know computers seem high on slashdot readers' priority list, but honestly, America did pretty well without them for a long time. And many 3rd world citizens would love to have the standard of living that Americans enjoyed in the early 20th century.
I'm not saying computers are bad or not helpful. But the grandiose schemes of bringing them everywhere when so many more basic needs and wants haven't been met seem a bit misplaced.
Forget Desktops I saw a 299 dollar Celeron laptop at Walmart today. And you can pretty much assemble your own computer for 200 dollars in India so a 250 dollar PIC is kind of dead. And if AMD actually ramps up and starts producing chips at its Bangalore contractor factory we can look forward to even cheaper chips
**Life is too short to be serious**
AMD's role in spurring interest in low-cost PCs for developing nations can't be overlooked."
I'm overlooking it right now, buddy!
You had acoustic couplers? We had to print out the info and whistle it into the phone. Kids these days...
For those who don't know, OLPC is an abbreviation for One Laptop per Child (and not One Love Peace Concert).
... Karma whoring since 1998.
www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
Man, that whistle beats having to send the print via pigeon. You must have had some low ping times with that.
I have nothing to say.