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"One Laptop per Child" Vision Almost a RealityNicholas Negroponte's "One Laptop Per Child" dream of creating 100 dollar notebook computers for the world's poorest children, is rapidly gaining popularity with academics, journalists and world leaders. Indeed, Brazilian president, Lula da Silva, and education Minster Tarso Genro, met with Negroponte in July to discuss the idea - Genro was quoted as saying: ".....It's a revolutionary project, that compliments all the orientation we have received from the president....." The one laptop per child concept is in harmony with Brazil's idea to encourage millions of low income citizens to purchase their first computer. The proposed laptops will run on the linux operating system, and will be rugged, wireless enabled, and have full color screens. MIT are hoping to power the notebooks using an alternative power source such as solar or wind up. Current specs are: 500MHz processor, and 1GB hard drive. Negroponte would like to mount a serious attempt to get the notebooks ready for shipment by the end of 2006 or early 2007. However, he does anticipate difficulty in supplying these mobile computers in such massive quantity. ".....The biggest hurdle will be manufacturing 100 million of anything.....The scale is daunting, but I find myself amazed at what some companies are proposing to us......" Luckily some big names have signed up to help MIT Media Lab, including Google,and Advanced Micro Devices. With Negroponte hoping to equip 200 million of the world's poorest children with laptops in the next few years, he'll need all the help he can get. September 2005 update! - Laptops will be encased in rubber for extra protection from bumps and scratches, and have 4 USB ports. A prototype laptop may be seen as early as November at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia. Children in Brazil, China, Egypt, Thailand, and South Africa will be among the first to get the discount laptops. In 2007 Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney aims to purchase many of Negronte's notebooks for school pupils in the state. November 2005 update! - MIT's Nicholas Negroponte has shown a working prototype of the $100 laptop to U.N Secretary General Kofi Annan, at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia. January 2006 update! - The One Laptop Per Child project has just won a key supporter. Indeed, the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) have just announced that they will back the OLPC program. This news was announced at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland. More details to follow. April 2006 update! - The hand cranked power source is now out of the window, a pedal powered option has been suggested. Also the notebooks won't be offered for $100 as first though, instead a figure of $135 is more realistic. Two new color options have been created as alternatives to Design Continuum's lime green prototypes. The "Fuse Project" has created designs in blue and yellow. May 2006 update! - It seems the OLPC has a new competitor. Chip giant Intel, are now entering the discount arena with the EduWise educational pc. Update! - September 2006 - Children's Machine Will Cost More Than $100 Update! - October 2006 - The project's official name is now the - 2B1 XO Children's Machine Update! - October 2007 - The OLPC price has risen Update! - November 2007 - Is the Asus Eee PC a rival for the OLPC? Latest news about - Hundred dollar laptop project Related articles: - In every satchel By Lucy Layman Saturday, July 02, 2005 |
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